


Kill la Kill: Second Chances

by Sasha_Samba



Series: Kill la Kill: The Cursed [1]
Category: Kill la Kill
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-11 08:45:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 128,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12931713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasha_Samba/pseuds/Sasha_Samba
Summary: With the Life Fiber threat seemingly vanquished, Ryuko and the Mankanshoku's settle down to begin their normal lives. However, Ryuko comes to learn she's unintentionally stumbled back into the war against the Life Fibers. Meanwhile, a boy is redeemed in return for an obscure favour from an unfathomable force. New enemies emerge, resistance forces reunite, and a mysterious observer interferes with fate.





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings,
> 
> This is the first fanfiction that I have ever posted, and I am very nervous about how it will turn out. After much encouragement, I have plucked up the courage to show my work, written and edited by myself, so I apologise for any mistakes I've missed.
> 
> Without further ado,
> 
> Please enjoy.

Mako couldn't contain herself, jumping from window to window as she and Ryuko walked past stores lining the side of the street walk. Ryuko had a job interview to work in one such place, and even though she had insisted on going alone, Mako wouldn't stop pestering her to tag along, despite the fact she had school.

"Alright! Fine! You can come along!" Ryuko's exasperation was lost in Mako's excitement.

"Yes! You're the best Ryuko! You and I are going to explore what this place has to offer! It's going to be so much fun!"

A month after the sinking of Honnouji Academy, the Mankanshoku's had set up in a town called Konru, which bordered Century city, named after its founder. The town itself, like many others, provided crucial resources to the city, and in turn, the city offered protection. Now that they had a place to call home, Satsuki had encouraged Ryuko to find an occupation in order to help the Mankanshoku's achieve stability, and earn herself a living. Ryuko wasn't daft though, she knew that Satsuki was also trying to distract her from Senketsu.

The two of them continued down the path, with Mako constantly bouncing from window to window, shouting out the plain-in-sight objects she would find as if Ryuko were blind. The few people that walked past gave them curious glances. Ryuko couldn't tell if it was Mako's behaviour or that they were completely new faces in town. Eventually they stopped at one particular store: Mohawk's Magazines. A sign hung from the door.

CLOSED.

"What a dumb name." Ryuko commented sardonically.

"Is this where you're going to work, Ryuko?" Mako inquired.

"There weren't any other job applications. Besides they say this place is fairly new. I think it's rather fitting for a new start."

"You know my dad said you didn't have to work right? He said he could earn more than enough support all of us! He's a back alley doctor, and doctors get paid lots!"

"It's fine, Mako. I should earn my own wage and support myself. Not like I have anything better to do with my time."

"If you say so, Ryuko. Just know that we're here for you!"

Ryuko gave one of her genuine smiles. "Thanks Mako. Come on, let's see who runs this joint."

The door was left unlocked, letting the two step in to the sound of a bell that announced their entrance. The entire place was stacked with shelves and racks, holding magazines and comic books. Ryuko approached the front desk searching for someone, while Mako roamed about the store aimlessly. A few minutes pass with nothing happening. Ryuko let out a frustrated growl.

"Hey! Is anyone here or not?!" Ryuko's abrupt shout shatters the silence in the store.

"Coming!" That voice sounded familiar…

"Hey, Ryuko, doesn't that sound like-"

"Tsumugu Kinagase?!" The two girls shout simultaneously.

The masculine figure emerges from a door and strolls up to the counter, crossing his arms, his face unamused as always.

"I've read your application form, Matoi." Tsumugu remained stone faced. "You're hired."

"What the hell? Why are you here?! Are you following me or something?!" The irritation in her voice all too obvious.

"Yay! You've got a job now Ryuko!" Mako seemed oblivious to the rather convenient appearance of an old ally.

"Your work starts now, Matoi. You can start by ordering the stands alphabetically. I expect that to be done by opening time."

"Hey! Aren't you listening to me? I asked you what the hell you're doing here!"

"I'll answer your questions when your shift is over. We open at nine, sharp." With that, Tsumugu strolled back into his office as if it were the most casual thing in the world.

Ryuko frowned in frustration and groaned inwardly. She looked up at the clock and her eyes widened.

"Its 8:30?!"

"Oh man, Ryuko. You have to organise all of these books in just half an hour!"

"Crap… Don't suppose you'd be willing to help me?" Ryuko turned to face Mako, but she was already running out the door.

"Sorrygottagotoschool! ByeRyuko!" Mako shouted behind her as she sped off, leaving Ryuko alone in the shop.

With a soft sigh, Ryuko began to remove any book that didn't belong in its respective category and put them where they belonged. Half an hour passed and Ryuko felt that she had only gotten half-way. Tsumugu reappeared and flipped the sign at the door to 'open' before disappearing back into his office. Moments passed without any activity besides the mundane task of ordering the magazines on the stands, Ryuko kept looking up as if expecting someone to walk in, but nobody did. Yet.

* **DING!***

Ryuko's eyes riveted to the door, a group of four boys walked in and spread out amongst the aisles. As none of them really demanded Ryuko's attention she continued her work, although the sudden interruption had thrown her off track. Once she had finished with the particular row of magazines in front of her, Ryuko wandered over to the next aisle where one of the boys was browsing a rather typical comic book about some hero. Ryuko resisted the urge to audibly growl in frustration, however, when she realised that the once organised section was now in complete disorder after what she could only assume was this boy's doing.

"Hey, you." The boy didn't even bother to look up from the comic. "You got any more of these?"

Ryuko glared but her gaze went unnoticed. "If there were, they'd be there."

"Shame. Only one book of the entire season. This place sucks." The boy shut the comic and indignantly dropped it on the floor and walked away.

Ryuko gritted her teeth, snatching up the comic and placing it back on the shelf. A further investigation showed that each of the boys had thoroughly pilfered the entire store, shuffling up all of the books that Ryuko had organised moments ago.

"Comes on boys, let's go. This place isn't worth our money." Obviously the leader of this group began to stalk towards the door, his three pals not far behind.

***DING!***

With that, the boys had made off, leaving Ryuko to sort out the mess they made. In that exact moment, Tsumugu exited his office and scanned the store, a frown creasing his expression.

"Matoi! I told you to organise this store half an hour ago! Quit slacking!" Before Ryuko could get a word out he had disappeared back into his office with a loud bang as the door slammed shut.

Ryuko simply sighed and went back to organising the shelves.

Again.


	2. Bullies

Mako strode confidently down the halls of Konru State High school. It didn't have the best ratings, but it was, frankly, the only school in the entire town. Mako approached her classroom as the bells rang, quite conveniently. She ducked in and took a seat at random, hoping there was no particular arrangement. Students filed in, taking seats wherever they chose, much to her relief. Some of the students eyed Mako with surprise, smiles, or sneers, nonetheless they kept their business to themselves and things seemed calm.

That is, until one particular boy walked in.

A flurry of paper airplanes, scrunched up balls, and even origami shuriken, was hurled in his direction as he entered the room. Seemingly a normal occurrence, all he did was brace and suffer the assault as the entire class laughed as he submissively took his seat in the front corner opposite the door, which was coincidentally isolated and spaced further from the rest of the students.

Once everybody had settled, the door opened to admit a blue haired, shambling figure wearing a pair of overly large shades, ruffled shirt, poorly done tie and baggy black suit pants with matching loafers. Mako immediately recognised the man.

"Good morning everyone. My name is Aikuro Mikisugi. I'll be replacing your normal history teacher until he recovers from a rather unfortunate incident." He kept to his monotone, droll voice that showed seeming disinterest yet compliance to his job.

Mako, surprisingly, refrained from calling his name out. Instead, she was seemingly focused on the depressing figure of the boy in the corner. He was slightly taller than Ryuko from what she saw earlier, with short dark brown hair, Mako couldn't make out his eyes or other features from where she sat. One thing was clear from his posture and body language, he was a victim of severe bullying. Mako diverted her attention to Mikisugi's lecture, who was droning on about something before she dozed off.

By the time the class ended, Mako awoke and shuffled out of the classroom along with the rest of the students. A hand reached out and grabbed her though, and Mako was dragged out of the crowd to come face to face with Mikisugi.

"Mr. Mikisugi!" Mako's face lit up.

"Hey. What's up kid? Didn't realise you'd be here too." Still acting as the undercover teacher.

"I could say the same Mr Mikisugi!"

"It's funny how things work out, isn't it?" Mikisugi pushed his glasses back up casually.

"Does that mean you're taking up teaching for a living? For real this time?"

"Sure am. I guess I got used to pretending to be one that eventually I got so good at it. I may as well take advantage of it. Instantly earned me a place here as a substitute."

"That's so cool! I look forward to coming to school more now that I know you're here!"

A sudden crash outside dragged their attention away and Mikisugi exited the classroom to investigate. Outside, a group of four boys were holding the dark-haired boy against a locker by his shirt. Mako could make out more of his features now. He had dark brown eyes, an average looking face that wasn't ugly but not exactly handsome, and was Caucasian.

"Listen here new boy, you don't pay up, and I'm going to have to teach you the hard way why it's a bad idea to forget bringing your protection fees!" The leader stood before him, arms crossed, and looking very confident with his two cronies holding the boy up for him.

"I'm sorry, I just forgot. I swear I'll bring double tomorrow." The boy spoke calmly which seemed to infuriate the others.

"Not good enough, you know what happens when you screw up." He showed no hesitation delivering a punch straight into his gut, causing him to cry out and gasp for breath.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mikisugi walked up to the bully with a calm expression.

"Oh, nothing. Just teaching this punk a lesson. You'd know about that kind of thing wouldn't you?" The boy's remark triggered the other three boys to laugh at his seemingly clever joke, though Mikisugi gave no reaction.

"Tell you what, you let him go and I'll refrain from calling your parents about what I've seen here."

"Go ahead, tell them. They know what we're doing, and they're sure as hell proud!" The boys high fived one another.

"Very well then, I'll be sure to teach you all a lesson myself then." The boys laughed even harder this time.

"You? A scrawny, pathetic, crippled old guy? You must have a death wish talking like that!" The boys attention shifted away from their victim as the four of them approached Mikisugi.

A sucker punch from the far left, though Mikisugi had seen the boy clench his fist moments ago. With ease, the teacher let the boy throw his weight forward and helped him along, sticking out his leg and letting the boy trip over his own momentum. From the right this time, Mikisugi deflected the blow and used the boys arm to twist his body and shoved him into the leader, causing them both to sprawl over one another in a heap. The last boy on the far right, after having witnessed his friends get beat, hesitated to make a move.

"Alright! Enough! You win this time! But you just wait until my dad hears about this!" The leader stood up and pointed a menacing finger at Mikisugi. He suddenly swivelled to face the dark-haired boy. "And you! Punk! Don't you think I've forgotten about you! You'll pay for this!"

With that, the boys stormed off, shoving aside students and making threatening moves against them in order to clear a path. The dark-haired boy kept his eyes to the ground, turning back to the lockers and opening one of them. A note was pinned to the inside. Mako could clearly make out the writing.

'Kill Yourself'

The boy absentmindedly rifled through his belongings and replaced whatever stationary and books he needed for his next class into his arms. Mikisugi had clearly seen the note too.

"Hey, you there. What's your name?" Mikisugi called after him.

The boy turned hesitantly, his eyes sombre as he looked up. "Mason." His voice sounded empty, as though devoid of life.

"Aren't you going to lock your stuff up? That's why they call it a locker, after all."

"Why bother. They'll just break it open and throw my stuff across the halls. Like always."

Mikisugi frowned. "Can I ask why everyone is treating you this way?"

Mason simply shrugged his shoulders, "I'm weak. My parents are dead. I'm a nobody."

"Your parents? You live alone?"

Mason nodded solemnly.

"I have an idea! The Mankanshoku's can take you in!" Mako interrupted, though both Mikisugi and Mason stared at the girl blankly.

"I don't think that's going to work, Mako." Mikisugi whispered.

"I have to go." Was all Mason had to say as he turned and made his way down the hall, Leaving both Mikisugi and Mako to watch his hollow form fade into the meld of students.

Ryuko stood behind the counter serving a customer, placing the three magazines they had just purchased into the iconic bag that Tsumugu had designed. A flaming red Mohawk emblazoned horizontally across with a pair of grenades high above it and a green motorcycle underneath.

What a crummy logo. Ryuko thought to herself.

Ryuko handed the bag to the punk rocker looking guy, watching as he made his way out the door. Ryuko stuffed the cash into the register and leaned back in her seat, letting out a soft sigh. She hadn't realised how dull normal life was after all the excitement of Honnouji Academy. It was 3:45 P.M. and her entire day had consisted of nine customers coming in and buying something, with another three that found nothing of interest. Overall, a dull day.

Tsumugu emerged from his office and approached her. "We'll be closing at four, so you can start preparing to leave now if you'd like."

Ryuko shot up out of her seat and approached him as menacingly as she could muster. "First I wanna know what your game is!"

"Very well. I've been designing a platformer that can be played on the computer and console. I'm calling it-"

"No you idiot! I mean what are you doing here?"

"Who says I'm not allowed to go where I want?"

Ryuko growled in frustration. "Quit avoiding the question! I want a straight answer!"

"Very well then. I'm here out of my own volition to start a normal life. After the events of Ragyo and the Life Fibers, I decided to leave Nudist Beach and take up a simpler life."

Ryuko seemed dumbfounded by the response, unable to come up with a retort.

"Does that answer your question, Matoi?"

Ryuko folded her arms and exhaled slowly. "I'll take your word for it. Though you better not have been following me!"

"I have no desire to follow a hot headed brat like yourself. Believe me."

"Why you…!" Ryuko resisted the urge to punch him with much effort.

"We'll keep our interactions to work only, if that helps. You'll never have to talk to me outside of our business in regards to this establishment."

Ryuko forced herself to calm down and look at the situation more reasonably. "Very well, I can agree to that."

"Good. I'll expect you back tomorrow morning." Tsumugu went to the register and began counting out the cash that had been made for the day.

Ryuko made a few final replacements of the stock they had sold before making her way out and heading back to the Mankanshoku's. As she stepped out, a boy sprinted past, gasping for breath, with four other boys giving chase. Ryuko immediately recognised the four from earlier that morning, and she stepped back as they threatened to send her careening into the pavement if she got in their way. As soon as they had passed her, she could hear shouting as one of the boys tackled the first guy to the ground.

"We got you now asshole!"

"We'll teach you what happens when you humiliate us like that!"

Ryuko watched as the boy on top of him started raining blows down on his face, another two stepping over him as they stomped down on his stomach and kicked him in the side.

"What the hell do you guys think you're doing? Leave him alone!" Ryuko shouted, though her words fell on deaf ears.

Ryuko ran full speed towards them. "I said-!" She winded her arm back, her hand balling into a fist. "Leave him alone!" Ryuko threw her punch hard into the boy closest to her, who had turned his head just in time to receive the full force of her punch straight to the side of his face.

The boy reeled backwards, blood running down his cheek from where Ryuko's hit had caused a laceration just below his left eye.

"This bitch made me bleed!" He said in astonishment as touched the blood on his face.

"I'll do a hell of a lot worse than that if you don't scram right now!" Ryuko challenged.

The boys hesitated at this, though they dragged their victim up and one of the boys drew a knife and held it to his throat.

"You touch my friends, I slit this bastard's throat!" He dared.

Ryuko tensed, though they seemed more than intent on acting on the threat if she made a move.

There was the sound of a gun cocking, and Ryuko spun around to see Tsumugu just behind her, holding his signature needle gun and aiming it at the boys.

"Put him down, or I'll shoot." Tsumugu left no trace of hesitation to be heard.

The boys eyed the weapon, and after noticing that it was filled with needles, they bellowed with laughter.

"Needles? You can't be serious." Without another word, Tsumugu pulled the trigger and several needles connected with the boy's arm who was holding the dark-haired boy hostage.

"What the hell?! I can't move!" He shouted.

"These needles are infused with a paralysing agent that renders your body completely immobile while one is inside you. They might not be lethal, but starving to death while frozen like statues is a very real possibility."

The boys seemed to get the message as the three who could move began to back up, hands raised. "Okay, we get it. We'll go."

"Get me free right now! Or I swear my father will hear about this!" The boy screamed. His friends quickly running up to pull out the needles. The leader spat on the ground, next to the boy who had dropped to the ground before all four of them scrambled down the street and out of sight.

"Good job, Tsumugu. Nice to know you haven't softened up." Ryuko commented.

She turned back in time to see the dark-haired boy getting back on his feet, and without a word, walking down the street towards where the boys had gone.

"Hey! Wait! Are you hurt?" Ryuko called after him, he stopped in his tracks and turned around to face her, but otherwise remained silent.

Ryuko could really appreciate his appearance now. If not for the many scratches and cuts all over his face, she might have considered him handsome.

"Thank you for the concern. But I'm afraid you've just made things a lot worse for me now." He spoke softly and monotonously.

"Are you talking about those guys? If so I can make sure they don't ever touch you again."

"No, No." He raised two hands defensively. "People have already tried helping me, and things only got worse. So just leave me alone. I can deal with it." The boy spun and walked away before Ryuko got a chance to respond.

"Damn. Poor guy. Surely there's got to be something-"

"Ryuko!"

Mako came charging down the street towards her, lunging in a tackle that made Ryuko pick her up, spin her and plant her friend down on her feet.

"Ryuko! You'll never guess who my teacher is! It's Mr. Mikisugi! I never expected to see him again, but he's teaching history again!"

Ryuko turned her death glare towards Tsumugu. "Care to explain what the hell he is doing here too?!"

"I thought we expressly agreed that we wouldn't talk about anything besides business affairs." Tsumugu regarded her calmly.

"You sneaky son of a-!" Ryuko almost threw herself in rage, but she eyed the needle gun warily.

"I will tell you that there is absolutely no connection between him and myself. We decided to stop being in contact after I split off from Nudist Beach. Rest assured, this is news to me too." Tsumugu said plain faced. Almost too plain faced.

Ryuko eyed him warily but decided to humour him. For now. "Very well, I'm going home then."

Both girls began to walk home, forgetting the incident involving the bruised and beaten boy.


	3. Second Chance

The sun had set merely moments ago, although he was nowhere near home. He hated going there, knowing that the boys would most likely ambush him. He didn't want to face that, he didn't want to suffer anymore. It was torture, living like this, if he could call it living. Instead, he decided to wander, hoping to lose himself in the night, perhaps he could jump off a bridge, or step out in front of a car. It's not like anybody cared.

The street was pitch black, with no cars passing by, and the nearest bridge several kilometres away. He banished the thoughts that plagued him. He would find another way. Somehow, he was going to get out of this town and find somewhere he could start fresh. He lived for that second chance.

It just so happened that Mason was going to pass by the alley. The very same one that four thugs stood in waiting, knowing full well that he was going to pass by any minute. So they grabbed him and threw him into the bins, causing the garbage to scatter across the ground and for him to grunt in pain as he landed on the concrete. They stood over him, kicking him, shouting curses and profanities.

"You dare humiliate my son like that!" He drew a knife, Mason recognised it as the same one that his bullies had threatened him with that afternoon.

The other three were obviously friends of his, and they took pleasure in doing whatever he said.

"Put him against the wall!"

They pinned his arms and left him open and defenceless as the thug drove the knife into his gut. His screams bounced off the walls, but he doubted anybody could hear him. At least, nobody that would be merciful. The knife withdrew, and entered him again, in his leg this time.

"This is for making a fool out of my boy!" The man shrieked, twisting the knife inside him.

Mason could only scream in pain, and before long he had stabbed him in the gut again and followed with cutting a large gash in his other leg from the top of his thigh to his knee. Hot blood covered the floor and his vision started to blur.

"Say goodnight, asshole!" The thug taunted as he punched Mason square in the face.

Mason's consciousness was slipping, and then he felt a sharp sting going across his neck. Suddenly he felt nothing. He was floating. Falling. Warmth smeared his face. One last cold breath passed his lips.

The thugs stood over him, triumphant. "Check his pockets, take anything valuable."

One of the men leaned down, rummaging through what few pockets he had, though he found nothing of use besides an old phone which he tossed to the side.

"What a waste of time. Come on boys. Let's go." The thug leader turned his back on Mason's still form.

Mason's eyes shot open and he gasped for breath, panting, coughing blood and desperately sucking in oxygen. The thugs turned back to him, wide-eyed.

"He's alive?!"

"No way! You slit his throat!"

Mason struggled to get back up on his feet, as uneasy as it was. Legs trembling, hands shaking, entire body shivering as though it were freezing outside. Blood from his wounds dripped onto his hands and stained the concrete. His legs screamed agony as severed muscles strained to function, but the pain felt numbed. He eventually stood defiantly against his assailants.

"Stupid son of a bitch! Stay down!" One of the thugs stepped forward and threw a punch straight into his face.

Mason's head bounced back, and then flopped forward, though his body didn't move, eyes glazed over and vacant. Noticing that he barely reacted, another thug stepped up and hit him too, followed by the first one. In just a few seconds the third stepped up and started wailing on him too, but Mason didn't move or make a sound. He simply absorbed it.

The three thugs panted and heaved, their arms tired from hitting the poor guy. "What the hell? He isn't going down!"

"Get out of the way!" The thug leader shoved his comrade to the side and in one swift movement he struck out with the knife.

Blood gushed out of the fresh wound in Mason's face, but the boy still did not move.

"Wha-… what the hell!" The thug started to violently slash and hack, opening wounds in Mason's body until blood soaked his clothes.

Then, without warning, Mason threw a punch at the guy to his right. He grunted, and was thrown upwards and into the brick wall with a loud  ***CRACK!***  before he fell onto the floor in a heap.

The thug started screaming. "I- I can't feel my body! I can't move!"

Another loud cracking sound as Mason threw a punch into the thug to his left this time. He stumbled back and let out a low moan, turning back to show his friends his dislocated jaw. Mason followed up with a right hook, the thug's face connected with the bricks and blood poured out of his now broken nose and a massive gash above his right eye. The third thug turned to run, but Mason grabbed him in a crushing grip and nearly dislocated his arm as he dragged him back violently.

"Wait! Please!" His words fell on deaf, unmerciful ears. His screams were cut off as Mason threw him into the wall face first, rendering him unconscious.

"What the hell are you?!" The thug leader screamed.

Mason looked him straight in the eye, but did not speak a word. He only advanced toward him. Now that the thug got a good look at Mason, he could see that all the cuts he inflicted on him had vanished. Every bruise and cut miraculously gone. The entire time, Mason's eyes appeared vacant. Dead. His movements were stiff, shambling like a zombie. The thug shook his head, heart full of fear and his whole body sweating.

"Don't touch me! I'll kill you!" He screamed, lunging at him with the knife.

Mason let the knife bury into his chest. He gripped him half way up his arm and dragged the knife out of himself slowly, despite how hard the other man tried to push it back in. The thug stared in disbelief at his raw strength, before he felt his arm being twisted outwards to the point of snapping, causing him to howl and holler. Mason's right hand then lunged forward, jabbing his fore and middle fingers into the thugs exposed ribs.

"AAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHH!"

The alley caused the thug's voice to ricochet off the bricks, amplifying his scream of pure agony. His face contorted into pure pain. His body shook as every muscle contracted painfully all at once. As quickly as it happened, it stopped. His eyes went as vacant as Mason's, staring off into the distance, falling forward and collapsing onto the ground.

Silence engulfed the area once again.

Mason remained unmoving for a moment longer. His eyes blinked and the void was replaced by life. He gasped and clutched at his chest, but the wound in his chest was gone. With wide eyes he looked around slowly, choking up at the sight of four unconscious, or possibly dead, bodies. Glancing down at his shaking hands that he somehow knew had done the deed of causing so much damage.

"So…" He swallowed hard. "You're my second chance."

* * *

 

Earlier…

Mason felt like he was floating. He tried to open his eyes, but after some time he realised they were already open. Or were they? There was no light to see with, no air around him to feel himself moving, even trying to touch his fingers together was a hopeless endeavour. That is, if he even had a body to perform such an action with.

_Greetings…_

A voice! It sounded like a man's, only menacing and dark. But where was it coming from? Who was talking? It sounded distant, yet close. Or was it in his head?

_Nowhere. Irrelevant._

It seemed whatever, wherever, this was, it didn't require him to speak. Although when he tried, he found he couldn't anyway. Where was he?

_You stand at the precipice of death._

Death? Is that what this was? Was he about to die? Perhaps this was limbo, purgatory, whatever it was called. But why? Why didn't he simply move on yet?

_Similar, but not. You choose._

Choose? Choose what?

_To die. Or not._

How? How could he choose to live again? What force could possibly grant him that? God?

The voice responded with what Mason could only interpret as laughter.

_God does not hold the power to do this. I offer a deal._

A deal? To live again? Was this… his second chance?

_You can live again. Live with a curse. In exchange, you perform one task for me._

A curse? A task?

_A curse. Your task is…_

Silence.

_… Ryuko Matoi._

Mason couldn't hear him properly, somewhere, somehow, the voice was lost to him, although he had heard the name the voice had told him. But could he stand to live again? All that torment, all that misery, and with an added curse to live with?

_Do you accept?_

He could easily say no. Why would he want to suffer all of that again? It's not fair, to be thrown back into the nightmare that his life had become.

_I sense doubt._

Why should he do this task?

_Act in my stead._

Was he even capable of doing what was asked of him?

_I would not have asked if you were not._

What is this curse?

_Pain._

How could he possibly accept something that sounded so ominous?

_Would you like a demonstration?_

… Sure. Whatever that meant.

_Witness…_

_Pain Surge._


	4. The Tables Have Turned

Mako walked down the hall towards her classroom, alone amongst everyone who was chatting with their groups of friends. The bell rang and students began filing into their respective classrooms, all except Mason. She spotted the grim boy standing by his locker, staring at the note from yesterday.

"Mason, are you coming to class?" Mako asked.

Mason's hand crumpled the note and discarded it on the floor with a certain vigour that wasn't present yesterday. "Yeah. I'm coming."

Mako looked at him quizzically. Something had changed about him. A ghost of a smile touched his lips, and there was a certain strength in his posture.

"You bastard!" The four boys stormed down the hallway, shoving other students aside. "You put my dad in hospital! You're really going to pay now!"

"Really?" Mason taunted. He was met with a fist to the face, followed by a punch in the gut.

Mason grunted, then softly laughed, and was met with more kicks and punches from the four of them. The commotion caused Mikisugi to step out of the classroom and rush towards them.

"Stop it! Cut it out!" Mikisugi cried out. He then stopped dead in his tracks.

Mason delivered a savage uppercut, sending one boy's head through the roof. He followed with a punch to another's stomach, that boy arced through the air and exited the building by crashing through a window. The other two boys stared at him dumbfounded, which soon turned to one as Mason delivered a low kick into one of the boy's legs as he cried out and fell over.

"W-what the hell!" The leader drew his knife and wildly cut at Mason, inflicting several small gashes on his face.

Mason simply smiled. The leader recoiled in fear and horror, but Mason advanced on him and jabbed two fingers straight into his ribs, causing him to scream in pain. It lasted all of two seconds before the boy's body stopped convulsing violently. After a moment of stunned silence, he simply fell onto his knees and keeled over, unconscious. Mikisugi stared in awe, mouth agape, as he watched the cuts on Mason's face stitch themselves back together.

 _Life Fibers?!_  Mikisugi's thoughts raced as Mason turned to face him. He had a cruel, satisfied smile.

"Don't worry, Mr. Mikisugi. I don't think they'll bother me anymore." Mason walked past without giving him a second glance and disappeared into the classroom.

 _This is bad. If this boy is like Ryuko…_  Mikisugi's thoughts were cut short by Mako.

"Wow! He really showed those bullies what he's made of! Didn't he Mr. Mikisugi? It reminds me a lot of Ryuko."

Mikisugi stared at her and questioned how it was that she didn't quite grasp what had just transpired. "Yeah, he did."

"Speaking of Ryuko. She was really upset yesterday when I told her that you were going to be my teacher!"

"I could imagine… I mean! Ryuko's here too? Wow! What are the chances, huh?"

There was a scream from inside the classroom. Mikisugi was somewhat glad for the interruption, though he hated to imagine what might have happened. The two of them entered to find Mason standing defiantly in front of a masculine boy, whose desk lay split in half at his feet. Likewise, Mason's own desk was toppled forward and his books lay scattered across the ground as if thrown.

"Think you can shove me around and just get away with it?! Not anymore!" He yelled, aiming a downward punch straight at his face.

"Mason! I'm sorry!" The boy cried. His plea fell on deaf ears as Mason connected the punch with his face.

The outcome however was less than desirable. There was a meaty smack and it looked as though he had just been given a slap across the face, though nothing dramatic like Mikisugi had predicted.

Mason recoiled in surprise himself and stared at his hand.  _What the hell? Don't tell me it's gone!_

The boy suddenly looked very smug as he stood up. "That didn't hurt at all! You can sure throw a fit, but you don't have the balls to actually hit someone!"

"Cut it out!" Mikisugi stormed over and got between the two of them. "You. Get out." He pointed at the boy.

"What?! Why me! He just hit me! You watched him!"

"You started it. You pay the price. Now get out."

The boy gave a frustrated grumble and cursed under his breath as he made his way out of class. Mason looked down ashamedly and sat back down in his own seat, though Mikisugi could have made a scene then and there, he chose not to.

 _Tsumugu will need to hear about this._  Mikisugi then directed Mako to take her seat as he started the class.

* * *

Ryuko sat at the counter of the store chewing mindlessly on the end of a pencil as she flipped through the pages of a random magazine. It was a typical romance novel in abstract black and white images, which Ryuko was halfway through when she heard the door to the office open.

"I'll be back in five minutes." Tsumugu commented nonchalantly as he strolled out of the front door.

Ryuko knew he was probably going to have a smoke or go to the bathroom, or both. She mindlessly turned the page and continued reading, until she heard something in the other room.

"Breaking news in Konru. Four men have been found in critical condition-"

Ryuko left her magazine to stand in the doorway of Tsumugu's office, a small television hung in the corner of the rooms ceiling.

"The men have been hospitalised, with one in serious condition. One man has suffered severe cranial injury as a result of blunt force trauma. Two more were found unconscious, with large lacerations across their faces and one even had a dislocated jaw. The last man shows no obvious injuries, but Doctors are saying that he has yet to regain consciousness, for reasons unknown. If anyone has information on the person responsible for this savage attack, do not hesitate to call this number-"

"What are you doing?" Ryuko spun around to see Tsumugu with his arms cross, looking annoyed.

"I was just watching the television." Ryuko stated harmlessly.

"You should be watching the counter. Not TV. We can't afford bad customer service." Ryuko rolled her eyes and lazily dawdled back to her chair and stared down at her magazine.

Seemingly satisfied he made his point, Tsumugu went back into the office and closed the door. Ryuko sighed, resting her chin in her hand as she stared blankly towards the front door.

 _I wonder what that was all about. Who could do that to four grown men? Besides myself, of course._  Ryuko decided it was probably an insignificant event, although she would be sure to warn the Mankanshoku's of some very dangerous people that might still be around.

***DING!***

Ryuko's eyes slitted as she noted who had just walked into the store. Aikuro Mikisugi. He seemed oblivious of her presence as he walked through the aisle to Tsumugu's office door and rapped on it urgently.

"Tsumugu! Open up!" He called through.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ryuko stood up and approached him.

"Ryuko. I'll happily have this chat later, but now is not the time." Mikisugi looked at her deadpan.

The door opened as Tsumugu stepped out. "What's the problem?"

"There's been an incident at the school. Call me paranoid, but-" He stopped mid-sentence and looked at Ryuko alarmingly. "Perhaps we should speak in private."

"At the school? Is Mako alright? She better be alright, or else!" Ryuko clenched her fists.

"Mako is fine. Just let me talk with Tsumugu in private-"

"Do you think it might involve..." Tsumugu started but didn't quite finish.

"Yes. I believe so. But I'm not certain." Mikisugi continued to keep the nature of their conversation as vague as possible.

"Are you two talking about Life Fibers? Are they loose in the school or something?"

Mikisugi sighed. She had caught on.

"I can't say for sure, Ryuko. It's probably nothing. Tsumugu needs you to man the store while he comes with me. Isn't that right?"

Tsumugu nodded, as if the excuse was satisfactory to lay her curiosities to rest.

"Like hell! I'm going whether you like it or not!" Before either of them could stop her, she was out the door.

"Damn it! That girl's going to cause more problems than there already is. Come on!"

Mikisugi followed Ryuko out and watched as she sprinted off into the distance.


	5. REVOC's Revoked

Century Security was an iconic skyscraper in the midst of Century city. Although, while it looked like a skyscraper at first glance, it was more appropriate to label it as a modern day castle. Standing over all other constructs, it was central, and renowned for how those inside could see out across the entirety of the city. Beyond that, the technological supremacy and autonomy, with the aid of the surrounding towns, allowed the owner of Century Security to officially stake her claim over the city. Which nobody seemed to mind.

They were well known for providing for every lock on every door of every house. Even the weapons used by armed enforcers were custom crafted by the company. Century Securities logo was imprinted on nearly everything in the city. The sole owner of the company, Janus Century, inherited her wealth and the entirety of the company from her father after he passed away. Initially, the company was more invested into business affairs, but Janus had transformed it into more of a paramilitary peacekeeping organisation not long ago.

Janus stared glumly at the four CEO's before her, either side of the meeting table. Their arguments had been going back and forth for some time now, and it bored her greatly. The meeting had been held to decide the fate of REVOC's, the clothing company once owned by Ragyo Kiryuin who had been declared deceased no more than a fortnight ago. Her disappearance had caused great concern, until one of her affiliates stepped up to report her passing and that REVOC's was being abandoned.

Now the vultures had descended to try and claim the scraps.

"We are doing everything in our power to salvage what we can from REVOC's. Although it seems suspicious that a military company wants what's left of a clothing company." A balding man in a sleek suit gave Janus a wary glance.

Janus narrowed her eyes, ignoring the man's baited remark. Her eyes focused in on the hologram that hung suspended in the centre of the table by a projector. It was an image of the main REVOC's building, slowly spinning like the rotation of the Earth. None of them knew about the secret that was kept inside, stored deep within the bowels of that innocent looking construct. The men's bickering was silenced when the double doors opened to admit a brilliant looking man in a sharp suit.

Jarret Galda, her most loyal and trustworthy associate. Maybe friend was more suitable. He closed the doors silently and ghosted over to Janus' side, standing straight as an arrow. The two stood in stark contrast of one another. Where he was masculine and well built, she was rather scrawny, at least half a foot shorter than him, with a small face and head, and very sharp, pointed features. Even her eyebrows were so thinly plucked they looked like toothpicks sitting above her deep blue eyes.

Janus looked up to him and saw his eyes flick down to meet hers. He gave her a small smile and she gave him a knowing roll of her eyes.

One of the CEO's turned to Janus, his face wrinkled with old age, with grey hairs to prove it. "Janus, I understand that the company once held great value, but after what has just recently happened, is it wise to-"

"Of course it's not wise!" A younger man with black hair this time. Janus knew that he was impulsive, speaking without really thinking.

"Do you ever shut up?" A man between the two age groups, though his young face betrayed his intellectual capacity.

"Everyone calm down." They all went silent at Janus' voice, which had a slight English accent. "I insist that you let me deal with the problem. Assuming that the reports are true and that REVOC's is the culprit for the rather… unfortunate event that occurred just over a month ago, it makes the most sense to allow my company to investigate first and foremost."

"If this is about the resources and capability, then I have to argue that my men are more than capable of doing the same job as yours." The older man spoke hesitantly.

"It's very risky. I'm sure you understand." The fourth, a woman of similar age to Janus herself, finally spoke up.

The four of them looked at one another with unease. "I don't care. Whatever is in there-"

"Is way beyond your comprehension." Janus interrupted.

"If this is going to become a battle of some kind-" The older man spoke low and dangerously.

"A financial battle? We will drive you bankrupt. A literal battle? I seriously doubt a clothing company would fare well against a paramilitary organisation." Jarret spoke matter-of-factly.

The older man's face scrunched up, adding to the wrinkles already present. "You dare speak to me like that, you-"

Janus cleared her throat loudly, directing a glare at the older CEO. "Another word and I'll have you thrown out and you'll lose your share."

"Share?" The younger man asked. They all looked at her curiously.

"How does this sound. I will forfeit my claims, but you are to give me one week to ensure the building is safe. Anything dangerous will be removed, and the rest, well, you can decide who gets what amongst yourselves. Satisfied?"

Silence permeated the air as they all looked at one another, subtle nods being shared. Finally the older bloke harrumphed and shook his head angrily.

"Fine! Have it your way!" He stood abruptly and approached the door, shoving his way through.

The others stood and followed suit in a more professional manner, leaving Janus and Jarret alone. Janus' face fell into one hand, rubbing her temples and exhaling slowly. Eventually she stood up, making her own way out as Jarret calmly followed her. They strolled through the sunlit halls, sturdy windows making up the exterior walls of the floor they were on.

"One week isn't very much time, ma'am."

"It will have to suffice. Are our teams already on site, ready to begin retrieval?"

"Awaiting your authorisation."

"Authorised."

"At your behest." Janus smirked. She couldn't be more grateful for Jarret.

Jarret skipped ahead to open the door to Janus' personal office, before admitting himself inside after her.

"Any word on the survivors of the other location?" She reached up to pull the suffocating hair bands out of her light brown hair, letting it fall to her shoulders and straightening it out.

"None, ma'am. We will have to turn toward other tailor's to replicate the work of Ragyo's daughter."

"Pity. It would have also helped if we could get our hands on an authentic uniform. Yet, we can't even scrounge one of those up." Janus took a seat behind her computer as she opened a display of the current Century uniform worn by the security detail in the building.

The uniform looked similarly to that of any normal military outfit, with the exception of a grey-white colouration. The display showed others too, known as 'Goku uniforms'. Each held a number that represented the total amount of Life Fibers were contained in each one, ranging from ten to thirty percent. There were also other percentages, fifty, seventy, and ninety, all of which were labelled as failures.

Janus knew, however, of uniforms composed completely of Life Fibers, the fabled 'Kamui'. She scoffed at the idea that someone could wear one, as Ragyo had reported that all subjects lost control to the Life Fibers beyond thirty percent. However, even ten percent showed impressive results, which boded well for mass production.

"Not trying second-guess you, though I am curious why you want to continue the work of that... lunatic."

Janus gave him a soft smile. "Because everything, even Life Fibers, deserves a second chance to prove themselves. While they did try to consume us, they were being orchestrated to do so by said lunatic. While she tried to dominate the planet, I intend on using Life Fibers to protect humanity."

Jarret nodded. There was no denying the conviction in her voice.

"Would you like a coffee, ma'am?"

"That would be nice. Thank you, Jarret." Janus watched him nod briefly before leaving the office to herself.

Janus took another look at the screen, scrolling through images of the students enhanced by their Goku uniforms. She took in each detail, noticing how the Life Fibers turned untrained teenagers into walking tanks. Then, several images of a girl with long black hair and sharp features dressed in one of the Kamui's flashed on screen. Unlike the other students, when powered up it would cover less of her body, so that she could retain control over the Life Fibers. Or so Ragyo had said. She could have been speaking the truth, or perhaps just misleading her.

Jarret gently opened the door, carrying with him a tray holding a pot and cup. He laid the tray down before Janus and swiftly poured the coffee, which didn't show any sign of steam. The entire time, Janus secretly had her eyes focused on him, simply pretending to look at the uniforms.

She admired his raven hair, kept short but still long enough that he could style it if he chose. Although it was hidden by a fair amount of stubble at the moment, his features were incredibly handsome and well defined. She could only describe it as near-perfect bone structure, paired with the fact that he looked like he was in his mid-twenties, despite his actual age. She also couldn't help but stare into his brown eyes…

He was staring straight back at her. She diverted her gaze, but his 'caught you looking' expression told her it was far too late to deny it. Instead of saying anything, he took the cup and proffered it to her.

"Your coffee. Iced and weak, as you like it." Jarret winked. Janus blushed but couldn't help but grin in amusement at his boyish charm.

She took a slow sip, the coldness sending a wave of tranquil bliss through her mouth and down her body. She sighed contently. "Not even I could make coffee this good."

Jarret chuckled nervously. "It's a shame, though. I had to add something new."

Janus raised a brow. "Oh?"

"They stopped stocking your normal stuff, so I had to try this new one." He looked away nervously.

"Hm. I see." Janus took another draught. "I dare say that this might be better than the old one."

Jarret let out a breath he had been unknowingly holding.


	6. Damn He's Strong

Mikisugi and Tsumugu breathed heavily as they ran after Ryuko, who was keeping ahead of them with relative ease.

"Did you have a plan for what we should do about this boy, Mikisugi?"

"Yeah, as soon as I have my break I would come tell you as soon as possible."

Tsumugu shook his head. "Yeah. Real good plan. Was getting Matoi involved a part of it?"

"Well, no." Mikisugi hesitated. "I guess I should have waited until after hours."

"I told Matoi that we weren't involved with one another anymore, and I remember telling you that she was working in my shop. So whatever this is, it must be really important for you to just forget all that."

"It is, trust me."

They reached the stairs of the school, beginning their ascent as Ryuko flung the doors wide open and rushed in. The school was in the middle of its lunch break as she flew down the halls, looking for Mako. Ryuko ignored the rude comments and stares she was getting from the students as she made her way around, shoving them aside if they didn't move fast enough. It was then that Ryuko charged headlong down a corridor and rounded the corner only to collide with a pair of students, sending them all careening into the wall.

"Ow..." Ryuko rubbed her shoulder that had taken the brunt of the impact.

"Ryuko?" She looked up at the students she had hit. It was Mako!

The boy next to her was also familiar. Then it clicked, he was the one from yesterday that was being harassed. He looked noticeably different, namely the cuts and bruises on his face were all gone. She had at least assumed right the other day, without the ugly scars on his face, he looked remarkably handsome.

"Matoi!" Mikisugi's voice echoed down the hall as he and Tsumugu charged after her.

"Mr. Mikisugi?" Mako looked back and forth between them and Ryuko.

Students began to conglomerate at a safe distance around the sudden disturbance in their monotonous day. Mikisugi stopped short as he saw Mason, grabbing Tsumugu before he charged too far ahead.

"Look out, that's him. Mason Date." Mikisugi subtly nodded in Mason's direction.

"That scrawny looking guy? That doesn't look like a Goku uniform." Tsumugu examined him closely.

"I'm not sure if it's his uniform, or if he's like Ryuko." Mikisugi whispered.

"You mean part Life Fiber?" Tsumugu shot him a concerned glance. All he got in response was a slow nod.

"Hey. You're that girl from yesterday." Mason took a moment to recognise the raven haired teenager.

"Yeah. I remember you. Have those bullies come back for you yet?" Ryuko's face showed concern. Though it was short lived when Mason grinned wickedly.

"They did."

"Where are they? I'll give them a good beating."

Mason seemed genuinely amused by this. "I beat you to the punch. Literally."

"It's true! I watched him wallop those guys like they were nothing!" Mako chimed in.

"Good. I guess I rubbed off on you. Show them some backbone and they backed off didn't they?"

"Yep. Sure did." Mason agreed.

Ryuko was pleased that she could help give him the courage to face them, until she looked at Mikisugi and Tsumugu. They both had their eyes trained on the dark-haired boy, whispering to one another. It suddenly registered that Mikisugi clearly believed he was the one affiliated with the Life Fibers. She then made a connection. The other day he was completely helpless, and suddenly he gets the courage to beat them up?

Ryuko stole a glance at him. His clothes didn't look significant, but then again, Life Fibers could be integrated discreetly into any piece of clothing. REVOC's had proven that.

"Hey. Did someone happen to make you an offer recently?" Ryuko tried to sound as casual as possible.

Mason's eyes immediately focused on her intensely. "What do you mean…?"

Ryuko could hear the uncertainty and her suspicions were immediately raised. "Oh. Just curious. One minute you're helpless and the next you seem really capable."

"Are you accusing me of something?" Mason immediately went on the defensive.

"Ryuko! Let me handle this! Please!" Mikisugi took several paces forward towards them.

"Ryuko?" Mason looked curiously at her. "Ryuko Matoi?"

"That's me. What about it?" Ryuko frowned in confusion.

"Ryuko. Mako. Would you both come with me, please?" Mikisugi tried to place the authority in his voice as firmly as he could, but Ryuko stood her ground.

"Go ahead, Mako. You might not want to stick around for this." Ryuko kept her eyes trained on Mason.

"Okay!" Mako quickly darted away towards Mikisugi.

Tsumugu had advanced closer to the pair staring one another down. "Mason Date. Would you please come with us? We have some questions we would like to ask you."

"Mason, is it? Well,  _Mason_ , did you realise that you're wearing a Goku uniform?" Ryuko's stance changed noticeably to one of aggression.

"Goku…uniform…?" Mason frowned.

"Yeah. It's got Life Fibers woven into it. That's what makes you strong. But I'm stronger."

"Life Fibers?" Mason sounded even more confused.

"Damn straight. Now take it off, or I'll have to take it off you by force."

Mason looked at her as though she were insane. "W-what? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Ryuko charged, her fist swung up into Mason's stomach, making him splutter and reel backwards.

"Ryuko! Stop!" Mikisugi barked.

"What's your problem?!" Mason was taken aback.

"Take it off now or else!" Ryuko threw another punch, hitting Mason hard enough as to push him against the wall. Ryuko threw herself upon him, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him hard against the wall.

"Get off me!" Mason threw a punch of his own, sending Ryuko flying into the opposite wall.

"Ow! Damn he hits hard!" Ryuko stood back up and charged, yelling as she arced her fist through the air to connect with Mason's face.

The punch went past his head as he moved out of the way, leaving Ryuko open as he threw an uppercut at Ryuko's jaw. The hit connected, but Ryuko barely moved.

_What the hell? His first hit was so strong, but I barely felt that._

"If you two can't play nice, then I'm going to have to step in." Tsumugu suddenly got between the two of them and faced Mason. "I'm really sorry about this." He winded back and threw a punch straight into his face.

Mason staggered backwards, then slowly brought his gaze back to meet the older man's own surprised look. "Is that the best you got?" He spat blood on the floor.

Tsumugu frowned and readied another hit, but Mason struck first, knocking him backwards into Ryuko and causing them to crash into the wall. The two of them got up and simultaneously charged him, swinging punches left, right and center. Many of them hit, as Mason grunted and gasped as each hit struck him hard and fast. Ryuko yelled as she wound up for a particularly hard punch, but she never got to strike before Mason used one hand to shove her backwards, sending her crashing onto the floor.

Mason then turned his attention to Tsumugu, sending an uppercut his way. He followed with a gut punch, kicking him in the shin, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him closer as he threw a punch into the older man's face. The students watched in awe as Mason beat up this masculine man as if he was barely a challenge.

"Mason! Stop it!" Mikisugi shouted.

Mason hesitated for a moment, giving Tsumugu the opportunity to throw a punch that forced Mason to let go of him and stagger backwards. Tsumugu took advantage of the stunning blow to drag Mason into a headlock and try to choke him until he blacked out. Mason struggled for a moment but knew he couldn't escape, and in a moment of desperation he dug his fore and middle fingers into his attacker's side. Tsumugu gave a loud cry of pain for a split second before he went limp and fell over onto the floor, unmoving.

Mason took a couple steps back as he caught his breath. Ryuko looked up at Mason with confusion, she hadn't known any Goku uniforms capable of doing  _that_. More than that, Ryuko could see that Mason looked completely fine, without a single scratch on his body to be seen, which she was sure she left a few. Mikisugi rushed up to Tsumugu's side, placing his fingers over his neck to check for a pulse. He let out a sigh of relief when he found one, then looked up at Mason and then at Ryuko.

"Help me carry him out of here." He motioned for Ryuko to come over.

Mason had seen the look on Mr. Mikisugi's face. He looked at him as though he were a monster. He sure felt like one. Whatever it was that he had been given, was most certainly a curse.

 _I have to find the limitations to this thing..._  He told himself, watching as both Ryuko and Mr. Mikisugi carried the unconscious man away.

The crowds parted for them, but the majority stood staring at Mason. He didn't understand why at first, but he could see the look of fear and surprise on their faces. Then it suddenly made sense. The once helpless victim that anyone could bully just beat up a guy that looked way tougher than him and his sidekick. He clenched his fists and whirled around at some of the students closest to him, causing them to gasp and back away.

Mason grinned evilly as he marched down the hall, watching the students retreat, keeping their distance from him.

 _I could get used to this._  He thought.

* * *

"Dammit, Ryuko. This is why I didn't want you charging in blindly." Mikisugi grunted as they carried Tsumugu, who was at least double their weight combined.

"Then maybe you shouldn't have tried to hide things from me!" Ryuko spat back.

"We tried to keep you out of this because you don't need to get dragged back into it."

"What the hell are you talking about? Dragged back into what?"

"This whole Life Fiber business. You kids have dealt with enough of it, we don't want you to have to endure any more suffering that is involved with it."

"Thanks old man, but I'm involved now, whether you like it or not."

"Just here will do." Mikisugi indicated a door to their left that led into his office.

Mikisugi opened the door and they dragged the unconscious Tsumugu onto the couch just beside the door.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Ryuko folded her arms sternly.

Mikisugi gave a sigh, locking the door behind him as he slid his glasses off his face. Suddenly the hobbled teacher was in his proper suave appearance.

"Very well. Nudist Beach is aware that while Ragyo is no longer a threat, the remaining Life Fibers around the world still present a problem. It's come to our attention that someone, in this general area, has begun to salvage what is left of REVOC's."

"The Life Fibers, you mean." Ryuko frowned in concentration.

"Correct. With the Primordial Life Fiber dead, the others will waste away without proper hosts. However, if someone else knows about this, they could potentially provide hosts for the Life Fibers, meaning that they will continue to live on. While this isn't going to be a global catastrophe, wherever Life Fibers are present, trouble seems to follow. No offense." Mikisugi added this last part coolly.

Ryuko's eyes narrowed and she grumbled under her breath. "I thought that Rei Hououmaru had gathered the remaining Life Fibers to make those evil doppelgangers of Satsuki and the Elite Four?"

"She gathered quite a lot, but she's just one woman. In the end, she used what was necessary to make the doppelgangers and then hid the rest in REVOC's. By the time she informed Satsuki of this, others had already staked claims on REVOC's, preventing anyone else from going near the remaining stock. With the help of Nudist Beach, we intend on ending this once and for all."

"So do you have a plan on dealing with these Life Fibers?"

"Lady Satsuki does. We've planned on locating the Life Fibers and allowing her to deal with them. As part of Nudist Beach's policy, we cannot allow these Life Fibers to freely cause havoc in the human population."

"Fine. So care to tell me what's up with this Mason guy? One minute he's laying the hurt and the next I could hardly feel him punch me. Then he goes and beats the crap out of Tsumugu and follows up by knocking him out? I didn't even see what he did to him!"

"He's done it before to these four boys that were harassing him. It played out pretty much the exact same way. You two beat him up and it looks like a one-sided fight, then proceeds to knock you both on your asses."

"Hey!" Ryuko gritted her teeth.

"He does this thing with his hand, I'm pretty sure that's how he knocked Tsumugu out." Mikisugi imitated the fore and middle finger jab to his own side.

"I doubt that he's wearing a Goku uniform. He didn't transform at all, his strength was all over the place and he can… what? Hit a pressure point with his fingers that knocks people out?"

"Maybe not a Goku uniform, though I'm still debating if he's partly Life Fiber, similar to yourself." Mikisugi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Seriously? You think so?"

"I can't think of another explanation."

"Right then, I'll just go rip his heart out."

"What?! No! We have to approach this subtly, Ryuko."

"Fine. So what happens if we find out he is partly made up of Life Fibers?"

Mikisugi hesitated for a moment and hummed softly. "Good question. Let's hope it's just hormones or something."

"I doubt  _that_  would be the result of hormones." Ryuko pointed at Tsumugu's unconscious form.

"Well there's nothing more we can do for the moment. I won't see him again until tomorrow afternoon. You should check on Mako, I'll keep an eye on Tsumugu. Afterwards, head back to the shop and lock it up."

Ryuko rolled her eyes and huffed. "Whatever, boss."

As soon as Mikisugi unlocked the door and opened it, Mako was standing before them.

"Mako, there you are. Do you know where Mason went by chance?"

"Nope. He ran off after you guys fought. What was that about anyways?"

"I'll tell you when we get home." Ryuko bade Mikisugi farewell and set off with Mako.

* * *

Mason stood triumphantly over the body of his latest victim. His breathing was hard, heart racing, and adrenaline coursing through his veins. In an attempt to learn more about his curse, he had spent the past five hours wandering aimlessly through alleys and some of the more dangerous areas where muggings and thefts were known to occur. His hope was to make himself look vulnerable and get targeted by potential criminals in order to test his curse on people that deserved what was coming to them.

He was very successful.

He had confronted four people in total and managed to learn quite a lot. From battling his first target, he confirmed his theory that he could only hit harder after he had been hit himself, and that by hitting back he would get weaker. His second and third targets had revealed a certain limitation to the curse. When he took enough of a beating, he would start to feel a constant throb of pain all over his body, and only when he hit back did the pain subside.

Mason's fourth target proved the most valuable. He learned that by using his Pain Surge he would sacrifice all of his accumulated power in a single attack. Furthermore, once his hand made contact with the victim, he couldn't stop, no matter how hard he tried to pull away, it was as if his hand was stuck in place. He had come to appreciate that the name of the attack was an adequate description of what appeared to happen when he used it properly. Hence, he identified that particular attack as 'Pain Surge', as the mysterious voice had called it. Although he was still uncertain of what else the curse had to offer him.

Mason was hesitant to test if Pain Surge was capable of killing someone. So far, people merely blacked out when he used it. Though he was unsure of any long term effects it might have on his victims, and he certainly didn't want to torture someone trying to find out. It was this exact thought that made him turn around and head straight home. After getting caught up in learning about the curse, he forgot that it was more than capable of seriously injuring people. An unwelcome memory of four thugs, brutalised beyond imagination, their limp bodies strewn across the alley, occupied Mason's mind the entire time.

When Mason got home, he threw his belongings onto his bed and stepped into the bathroom to wash up. When he entered, however, the door slammed shut behind him. Mason spun around in surprise, and then gasped when the lights began to flicker violently. From the corner of his eye he could see his reflection in the mirror. Only, his mirror image was staring straight at him.

Mason whirled around to face the mirror, his own eyes stared back at him, but they looked empty. When Mason moved, the reflection remained still.

"What's going on?" Mason voiced aloud.

The reflected image moved its mouth, but the words that came out echoed from all around Mason, circling around him, never staying still.

_Enjoying your curse?_

Mason knew that voice, it was the same one from when he had almost died.

"Who are you?"

_Irrelevant._

"Is that your name, or a statement?"

_Irrelevant._

"Then what do you want?"

_… Ryuko Matoi._

"What about her? I met her today. What's so important about her?"

_You will find out._

"I don't understand. Can't you tell me anything useful?"

_Your enemy hides behind a friendly face._

The lights flickered once again, and Mason watched his reflection vanish before he was staring at himself once again. This time, when he moved, his reflection moved too.

"Very helpful."

Mason sighed and instead focused on the reason he came in there for. He then lay in bed and tried to block out the images of his victim's faces as he tormented them. Covering his ears didn't block out their screams, though.


	7. A Gift

Satsuki Kiryuin and the Elite Four had set themselves up in Century city in order to keep a closer eye on events without leaving too much distance from their Nudist Beach allies. Satsuki also wanted to keep close tabs on her sister, without her knowing of course, to make sure that the loss of Senketsu wouldn't affect her too greatly. She knew it would help to have some family close by if she needed it, though she was certain the Mankanshoku's could provide a similar, if not better comfort.

Satsuki sat in her chair, eyes closed in deep meditation. Soroi, her butler, provided her with another cup of tea, which she gratefully sipped from time to time. However, right now, she felt like something was… wrong. She couldn't place it, as it wasn't something physical, but more spiritually. She could feel it in the air around her.

A sense of foreboding.

"Is something troubling you, my Lady?" Soroi inquired. "You've been wearing that expression for some time now."

"I cannot explain it. But something is… off." Satsuki replied crisply.

"Is there something wrong with the tea?"

"Never. Though I can't quite place what it is." She figured it might have been a premonition related to the Life Fibers, though she kept this to herself.

"I see." The sound of a doorbell rang out. "I shall get it."

Soroi went to the door and opened it, as both Nonon Jakuzure and Uzu Sanageyama walked in.

"Lady Satsuki. We did as you asked but we couldn't find out who is taking the REVOC's merchandise." Uzu sounded disappointed.

"Doesn't help that you're so blunt about it when you ask others, monkey." Nonon casually added.

"It figures that they might cover up their tracks." Satsuki affirmed. "Assuming they're fully aware that they're collecting up as many Life Fibers as they can, they'll want to hide it from the world."

"Ira Gamagori and Houka Inumuta are both still out trying to find something that will give us a lead, my Lady. Is there any word from our Nudist Beach friends?"

"Nothing so far." At that precise moment, the phone rang and Soroi picked it up.

"Hello? Ah, I see. It's for you, my Lady." He handed her the phone.

"Lady Satsuki." Mikisugi's voice sounded calm and casual.

"Mr. Mikisugi. We were just talking about you."

"About how gorgeous I am?"

"About your lack of progress." She said plainly.

"Oh, right. Well, I might have something. May I request you to investigate something very… strange?"

Satsuki's eyes narrowed at his choice of words. "Is this about Life Fibers, or…?"

"I'm not sure. I thought it was initially a Goku uniform. I'm no longer certain."

"If it doesn't concern the Life Fibers, then I'm not sure why it concerns me."

"There's a kid here, he beat up Tsumugu and Ryuko single-handedly. Then, all his wounds regenerated on the spot."

Satsuki frowned. That got her attention. "Who is 'he'?"

"Mason Date. Innocent looking kid, can't even stand up for himself. At least, initially. Then out of nowhere he shows up at school the next day and he's thrashing other students with superpowers. We don't believe that he's using a Goku uniform, but if he happens to be like Ryuko, or even Nui Harime…"

"Then he is a very serious threat." She finished his sentence.

"My thoughts precisely. He will be in my class tomorrow afternoon, I'm sure we could use your help when confronting him. Only if you can spare the time. I'd appreciate it."

"I will be there by tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you, Lady Satsuki." Before he got another word out, she lay the phone down on the receiver and handed it back to Soroi.

"My Lady?" Uzu hinted.

"Something has transpired that requires my attention. My younger sister seems to have found trouble yet again."

"When isn't she causing some kind of ruckus?" Nonon rolled her eyes.

"I'll be heading out there tomorrow afternoon. For now, you two can take the rest of the day for yourselves. Should Inumuta and Gamagori show up, be sure to inform them of what's happening."

"Yes, my Lady!" Uzu and Nonon spoke simultaneously, saluting and bowing.

Satsuki looked at the time. Eight in the evening. She graciously stood and made her way to her room, cleaning up before heading to bed. For a while her thoughts bounced between the events Mikisugi had described and the complete lack of progress towards putting an end to Life Fibers once and for all. After much deliberation, her thoughts tired and without realising it, she was asleep. A couple hours later, she awoke.

Something was in the room.

Satsuki knew it wasn't someone, because she had a honed acuity of awareness of another's presence, which was currently lacking. This was the same feeling she was experiencing earlier that evening, although it was more foreboding. She couldn't place it, as it seemed to shift soundlessly around her, lingering close by. She couldn't be certain if it was trying to hide from her, so she opened her eyes and gazed around slowly. There was no movement, at least, not that she could see.

She lay there waiting for it to attack, her hand carefully reaching under the bed to caress the hilt of a dagger, just in case. When she did, the feeling of foreboding vanished from the air, leaving it still and cold. Satsuki remained vigilant in case it were a feint, but minutes passed in silence. There was a squeaking sound, almost inaudible. She turned her attention to the door and spotted the handle slowly turning up and down. She drew the dagger, standing up swiftly to approach the door. As soon as she got out of bed, the handle began to shake violently. She hugged the wall opposite where the door would swing open, waiting.

The handle popped out of the door and fell on the floor.

Everything went still, and Satsuki could hear nothing moving outside her door. Cautiously, Satsuki looked through the hole in the door to search for the culprit, but there was nothing there. She reached down and picked up the door handle, it was made of brass and fairly insignificant in design. Studying it revealed nothing particularly interesting, though further investigation would have to start in the morning. When she turned around to face her bed, she stopped suddenly and felt her skin prickle.

On her bed was Bakuzan. The blade was impaled into the bed, exactly where she had been laying down moments ago. She stepped forward slowly. Something had to be messing with her. And it was in the room. Once in reach, she laid her hand on the hilt. It was most certainly not a fake, and intriguingly a note was pinned to the bed by the blade. Satsuki dragged the blade free from the bed and read the note.

'Under the bed.'

Satsuki readied Bakuzan and stepped back before kneeling down to investigate. What she found was the scabbard for Bakuzan next to the case that would hold her dagger. No boogeymen. She flipped the note over and found more text.

'You'll need it.'

Satsuki hadn't realised that the air was tight with tension until it had gone. She looked down at Bakuzan and placed it and her dagger into their respective sheathes. Without any further disturbances, Satsuki could tell that the presence, whatever it was, had made itself scarce. Keeping Bakuzan by her side, she lay on the other side of the bed and fell asleep after much effort.

* * *

Satsuki had unknowingly slept in, waking up close to midday. She picked up the door handle again and, using Bakuzan, broke open the door to free herself from her room. The other half of the door handle lay on the floor, which she took with her also. It was eleven in the morning, Soroi was probably wondering why she wasn't up at her usual seven. The others were also nowhere to be found, leaving Satsuki alone as she lay both pieces and Bakuzan on a round table to study the pieces.

Picking up both halves, she examined them closely, noting the design of them and a few scrambled letters that looked cut off. It was when she fitted the two pieces together that the inscriptions in the brass could be made out to form proper words.

'Century Security.'

Satsuki frowned momentarily before she realised that she now had a lead. Whatever it was last night, had provided her both Bakuzan and the lead she was looking for. She then felt something standing just behind her.

"Sneaking up on me, Sanageyama?" Satsuki regarded him evenly.

"One day you won't see me coming." He chuckled. "Hey, is that what I think it is?"

"Yes. It's Bakuzan."

"But, didn't it get destroyed?" Uzu reached over to touch the hilt to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"It did. I remember it vividly." Satsuki confirmed his suspicions.

"So… how come you have it, and in one piece?"

"I don't know. I found it last night. It seemed to appear out of nowhere."

The two of them regarded the sword for a few moments, unable to explain the supernatural phenomena.

"Sanageyama." Satsuki broke the silence. She held the two pieces of the door handle before him. "I want you and the others to investigate Century Security."

"What for? You think they have the REVOC's merchandise?"

"It's just a hunch." Satsuki believed it better to let him think it was intuition guiding her, instead of adding supernatural guidance to the seemingly impossible appearance of Bakuzan.

"As you wish, my Lady. Gamagori is also ready to take you to Konru, just say the word." Uzu took hold of both pieces of the door handle. "So, did… you take out the handle of your door?"

"It is difficult to explain. Just see to it that you find out all you can about Century Security." Satsuki stood up, taking Bakuzan as she went to dress herself, stepping over the broken door.

Not five minutes later, Satsuki was approaching Gamagori's car and stepped inside. She wore a black trench coat over a white sleeveless shirt and black skirt, along with knee high boots with a small heel.

"Are we set to leave, my Lady?" Gamagori asked.

"Yes. Let us be off."

"My Lady." Gamagori stepped on the pedal as they began the long drive out of the city to Konru.

* * *

"Wow! So Mr. Mikisugi and Mr. Mohawk isn't just a coincidence after all?" Mako exclaimed.

"It doesn't seem like it. They're still on their anti-Life Fiber crusade. So I need you to stay safe and don't get mixed up in things. They seemed pretty serious in keeping us out of things anyway."

"Won't be a problem, Ryuko! I'll make sure not to get involved! I'll just focus on my homework instead!"

Ryuko gave her a soft smile. "You do that."

"We should really get to bed. It's really late and you need to be up and go to work tomorrow!"

"Guess you're right. I'll go to bed then. Night Mako."

"Night Ryuko!" Without a second to waste, Mako lay down and immediately fell asleep.

Ryuko yawned and shambled out into the kitchen, taking a glass and filling it with water. She took the time to look out the window, up at the stars. The night sky was illuminated by the full moon and made it very easy to see where she was going. Gulping down her drink, she retreated into her room.

The rest of the Mankanshoku's were already fast asleep. One of the many upgrades to the house was that the Mankanshoku's were able to sleep in their own rooms, although Mako's parents chose to sleep together. Ryuko herself even had a small room to call her own. She slipped on her pyjamas and crawled into bed, curling up under the covers as she hummed happily to herself, snuggling with the soft blanket.

Just as she was drifting to sleep, she could hear something at the back of her mind. It sounded like a voice, but distant, or perhaps it was close and being whispered incredibly softly. She couldn't make out the words and, figuring she was just dreaming, chose to ignore them.

_Ryuko. Matoi._

Her eyes shot open and she sat up. There was no mistaking it, someone had just called her name. She looked around but the room was practically pitch black. Looking out the window she could guess why, the moon wasn't out. Like a shock to her system she realised she was wrong. She had seen it earlier, while having her drink.

The moon was most certainly out. So why was it pitch black outside?

Ryuko pinched herself, but she didn't wake up, she was already awake. Whatever was happening was definitely real.

_Ryuko Matoi._

"W-who's there?" Ryuko stammered. The voice wasn't coming from anywhere, but more like all around her.

_Irrelevant._

"What? What the hell does that mean?"

_Irrelevant._

Ryuko stood up out of bed, clenching her fist. "Show yourself!"

_I will not._

"Why the hell not?!"

_Hot headed as ever. It's adorable._

Ryuko could feel she was being toyed with. "I don't know what you want, but you better explain yourself! Fast!"

_I present you with a gift._

"A gift?"

"Ryuko!"

"What the-? What was that?"

"Ryuko!"

"That voice… it sounds so… familiar."

"Ryuko!"

"Senketsu?!"

From the pitch blackness that could be seen from the window, the familiar sailor uniform was seemingly thrown through and fell gently on the floor. Ryuko was overwhelmed with joy and went to rush over, before something red flashed after Senketsu and buried itself in the wall of her room.

"My scissor blade!" Ryuko cried out in alarm.

_Gifts. Enjoy._

"Wait! Who are you?"

Silence.

"Damn it…" Ryuko turned her attention from the mysterious voice and picked up Senketsu, cradling him in her arms.

"Oh Ryuko!" The Kamui exclaimed.

"Senketsu! It's so good to see you again!" She hugged him tightly, he in turn wrapped his sleeves around her. "What happened? I thought you…" She couldn't bear to finish, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

"I'm not sure. I remember you falling, and I disintegrated. The next thing I know is my Life Fibers and Banshi are all being sewn back together."

"Do you know who did it?" She took a moment to hold him at arm's length and examine him. He looked exactly the way he did before, even his eye was sewn shut again.

"No… all I could see was darkness. The next thing I know is I can hear your voice, and suddenly I've been thrown through a window into your room."

"You were put back together just moments ago?"

"I think so. I cannot say for sure."

"Whatever the case is, I'm so glad you're back." She couldn't help but hug him even tighter.

"I am too, Ryuko."

"I missed you so much, Senketsu." Ryuko buried her face into his fabric, desperately holding back the urge to cry.

After spending some time in that position, Ryuko pulled the blade clean from the wall. Laying it down under her bed, she didn't have a spare coat hanger for Senketsu to rest on, so she decided to take him to bed with her instead. The darkness had dissipated away from the window, and the moonlight poured through the window once again. Whatever had spoken to her was long gone.

She wasn't sure how she was going to explain all of this to the others. Especially Satsuki. But it all seemed so insignificant in comparison to the fact that she got back her most beloved friend.


	8. Causes And Effects

Ryuko was walking down the street towards Mohawk's Magazines, dressed in her normal clothing rather than wearing Senketsu. She didn't want Tsumugu to see her Kamui and report it to Mikisugi. She would rather talk to him about it before she revealed his sudden return, so instead she insisted he remain hidden for the time being. Now she sort of regretted her decision, having someone to talk to would ease the dreadfully boring day ahead of her. This sense of boredom was amplified after the rather exciting events that occurred yesterday.

It was wishful thinking that she could continue to be involved.

She was just about to open the door when Mikisugi burst out and slammed it shut, sign reading: CLOSED. Ryuko had expected to see Tsumugu maintaining the store, and for Mikisugi to be in school by this hour.

"Huh? What's going on?" Ryuko looked at him startled.

"There's been more incidents. I need you to come with me." This sounded urgent, so without another word Ryuko nodded and followed after him. Wish fulfilled.

"How's Tsumugu? And shouldn't you be at school?"

"He's recovered, waiting at the school for Satsuki to arrive. I'm free until the afternoon."

"Satsuki? She's coming here?"

"Yeah. After yesterday I thought we could use the back up in bringing in Mason. Speaking of which, I believe he's gone and lashed out last night." Mikisugi seemed deadly serious, and very concerned.

"Where are we going?"

"To the hospital. I want to test a theory."

Moments passed in silence as they made their way around the town. Passing by an electronics store, Ryuko took a moment to watch the television. She recognised the news reporter from the other day, and the news was just as familiar. Four individuals, all bruised and beaten senseless, each one reported their injuries accountable by a teenage boy.

"Ryuko! What's the hold up?" Mikisugi called behind him.

Ryuko rushed back up to him. "Nothing."

They reached the hospital and went inside, asking for those that were found last night. They were directed to their rooms, and as they entered they found the four victims wrapped in bandages, with three fast asleep. Mikisugi approached the one man who was awake, but as Ryuko got close he gave a startled cry.

"Get away from me!" He wailed, jabbing a finger at her.

"Hey, relax! I didn't do nothing!" Ryuko raised her hands defensively.

"We're here to ask you some questions, Mr…?"

"Carrington. Alfred Carrington." His eyes kept darting between Mikisugi and Ryuko.

"Mr. Carrington, what do you remember of last night?"

"I already told the police everything I know."

"We're not the police. Tell us again. What you were doing, what happened, who did you see?" Mikisugi's tone hinted that he wouldn't leave until he knew.

"I was just out on a walk, I swear! Some guy came and beat me up! I didn't do anything!"

"Slow down. You're not making a lot of sense. A guy just comes and beats you up?"

"Yeah! I bet she knows who he is!" He struggled to point at Ryuko. "Same sort of height, same age, they probably go to school together! What are you, his girlfriend?"

Ryuko's face flushed as she crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. "I am not!"

"So you're saying a seventeen year old boy walked up to you and did  _this._ " Mikisugi indicated Alfred's bandaged arms and legs.

"Damn straight! That's what happened!"

"I don't believe you. I need more details."

"He beat me up! How much more detail could you want? You want to hear about how he managed to throw me to the ground using just one hand? One hand!"

"Oh quit your whining!" Ryuko got closer to Alfred and slammed a fist on the bed. "We want to hear about who attacked you so we can find them! Not listen to you complaining! You better start giving us the full story, and it better be the truth, or else!"

Alfred's eyes widened in fear and needed no further coercion as he looked her in the eye. He couldn't see a shred of mercy in them.

"Okay! Okay…" Alfred sighed in defeat. "Truth is, I was… mugging someone. This old lady, I told her to give me her purse, and she hit me and tried to make off. So I ran up and took the purse off her, but she fell and cried out for help."

Ryuko gritted her teeth.  _Dirtbag._

"That's when this guy showed up out of thin air. He was standing in the middle of the alley, so I barged him out of the way as I ran past. Next thing I know is something grabbed my leg and I fell over. I looked up and there he was, I remember this cut on his forehead, probably from when he fell. Then…"

"Go on." Mikisugi prompted him.

"I got up and attacked him. I tried to simply overpower him but he was too strong! He threw me around like a rag doll for a bit, and then suddenly stopped. I realised that the kid was stalling, waiting for the cops to arrive, and so…"

Alfred's voice turned to a low whisper. Both Ryuko and Mikisugi had to get closer just to hear him.

"I… I screamed and hit him. I was so desperate to get away. I just punched him and I kept going. I put the kid underneath me and I just beat his face in…" Alfred's voice trailed and he visibly shook. "Then… all I remember is feeling the most horrible pain I've ever felt."

Mikisugi and Ryuko looked at one another and nodded. "Care to describe it?"

Alfred hesitated, recalling the sensation he felt and trying to surmise it in words. "I could only describe it as if I were being blended up. My entire body being cut and ripped apart."

Ryuko winced at the thought of that. She remembered tearing Junketsu off of herself and the amount of pain that had caused her. She couldn't bear to think anyone having to suffer  _that_ , or worse.

"That will be all, Mr. Carrington." Mikisugi stood up and walked away.

"Wait!" Alfred called after him. "Don't tell the police what I did. Please! Or they'll put me away! I have kids to feed!"

Mikisugi seemed to contemplate it for a moment. "Tell you what. You get a proper job and work like any other decent human being, and we have a deal."

"Deal! Oh thank you!" Alfred exhaled loudly.

Mikisugi left the room, followed closely by Ryuko. The two of them made their way in silence until they were alone.

"It sounds like Mason gave him what he deserved." Ryuko voiced his thoughts.

"For certain. Tsumugu gave me a similar description earlier this morning. He told me that whatever that kid did to him, it felt like he stuck a knife into an electrical socket while he was soaked in water." Ryuko winced again at the thought of it.

"Though, he didn't target random people on the street. I'm only assuming, but all of those people might have been committing some kind of crime." Mikisugi nodded at her logic.

"And I'm willing to bet each and every one of them injured Mason somehow too. Which proves my theory."

"You never did explain what your theory was."

"I think he can redirect attacks back at others. By what mechanism, I'm unsure of."

"So if he doesn't get attacked, he's powerless?"

"Right. You should tell Tsumugu and Satsuki this when you see them. I'll be preoccupied teaching a class."

"Oh great, I'm just your messenger now? Suppose it beats being in that shop…"

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of getting involved again. No matter the role you played." Mikisugi flashed her a handsome smile.

Ryuko blushed and frowned, turning her head away. "A-anyway. Shouldn't we go to your school and meet Satsuki?"

"We still have a few hours to relax and do something." Mikisugi shrugged his shoulders casually, causing the jacket he wore to slide off slightly.

"Don't you even think about it!" Ryuko blushed harder, knowing more than just his jacket would fall off in just a second.

Mikisugi chuckled. "Okay, we'll do it your way. To the school!"

* * *

"You should really invest in a car or something." Ryuko huffed as they walked up to the school.

"You shouldn't complain. It's good exercise! Besides, I'm not sure I want to pay for daily parking." Mikisugi responded cheerfully.

They marched their way up to the doors and went inside. It was class time, and so the halls were quiet and devoid of activity. They made their way around to Mikisugi's office, knocking before making their entrance. They found Tsumugu resting against the wall with a pack of ice pressed against his forehead, not even making the effort to look at them.

"Tsumugu, you're not looking so good." Ryuko's face was etched with concern.

"I'll live." He grumbled.

"Satsuki is meant to arrive soon. I've organised for her to arrive once my class ends so that I know where Mason is before he can disappear on us." Mikisugi gathered up his notes and books. "I'll see you two later."

He waved behind him as he left the room. Ryuko sat down on the couch and laid her head back. "Mikisugi wanted me to tell you not to harm Mason at any point. He thinks that's how he gets stronger or something."

Tsumugu gave a short grunt in response.

"So do you guys have a plan?"

"We do." Tsumugu didn't elaborate any further.

"Well go on. Spit it out." Ryuko urged.

"We keep Mason in class and ask him some questions."

"That's it?"

"That's it." Tsumugu shut the conversation down then and there.

Ryuko shuffled every few seconds on the couch, unable to keep still. It wasn't five minutes before she let out an annoyed groan.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing." She voiced aloud and stood up, moving to the door.

"Where are you going, Matoi?"

"I'm going to take a walk. I won't be more than ten minutes." Ryuko called through the door and closed it before she got any more reprimand from him.

She made her way down the hall, her sneakers making an occasional squeak on the floor. She had told Tsumugu ten minutes, but in reality she had cast time aside and wasn't sure of how long she had been wandering for. She just so happened to walk around a corner and find herself confronted by two boys who were obviously skipping class. They had their backs to her, but one squeak of her sneakers made them spin around in surprise.

"Hey. Look who it is. It's that chick that got her ass beat by Mason." One of the boys leaning against the lockers jeered.

"You're right. It is her. What a loser, getting beaten up by that pushover. Just because he learned something off the internet he thinks he's so cool now."

The two boys laughed while Ryuko growled under her breath. "Say that to my face!" She challenged.

The boy closer to her walked up and got in her face. "You're. A. Loser."

A smug grin spread across his face, and quickly disappeared when Ryuko launched an uppercut that made him reel backwards and crash to the floor.

"Why you little bitch!" The friend abandoned his place on the locker and advanced on her.

His path was cut off when a black katana flashed out from behind Ryuko, reaching but not quite touching his throat.

"I wouldn't advise that course of action. If you value your wellbeing, you best go back to class." Ryuko spun around to see Satsuki all serious faced.

"Okay, fine. Jeez." The boy cautiously retreated and reached down to drag his friend back up as they made off in the opposite direction of Satsuki's blade.

Ryuko grinned triumphantly as she watched them turn-tail, and then she took the time to examine Satsuki's sword. Her eyes widened in confusion.

_Bakuzan?!_

"Satsuki! Is that what I think it is?! I thought it was destroyed!"

"It's nice to see you too, little sister." Satsuki replaced the blade back into its scabbard as she smiled evenly at Ryuko.

Ryuko narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "Seriously though, how did you get your hands on it?"

"I found it in my bed last night. It seemingly just appeared, I'm not sure how."

Ryuko could tell she was being honest. Though, she couldn't comprehend how Bakuzan could suddenly show up out of nowhere.

"Wait. Did you say last night?" Ryuko's mind flashed to Senketsu.

"Yes. Why? Is something the matter?" Satsuki looked at her curiously.

"Call it coincidence but last night…" Before Ryuko could finish the bells rang out for the end of class.

"Hold that thought. Mikisugi will want us to help him detain Mason."

"Right. Let's go." Ryuko followed Satsuki as they made their way towards Mikisugi's class.

* * *

Mason had a bad feeling the moment he woke up. The events of last night had shaken him, and he felt more insecure than he had before he was cursed. He could still see how Mr. Mikisugi looked at him yesterday. Was he truly a monster? He contemplated calling in sick, running away, not showing up. Then again, what would he do? He was alone, and without much in the way of finances.

Deciding to go to school, Mason tried to avoid attention from everyone, though it was impossible. They all looked at him, fearfully, after having seen what happened the day before. All of his classes he noticed that students had pulled their desks even further from him own. They even flinched when he passed by.

Then it was the afternoon. His last class. With Mr. Mikisugi. He paused at the door, uncertain if he should open it or not. Steeling himself, he figured that if he just minded his own business he would be fine. To his surprise, Mr. Mikisugi didn't even pay him any attention, the class was comfortingly normal. Only once class ended did he suddenly become more acutely aware that someone was watching him.

Mason looked up, the students filed out of the classroom, and Mr. Mikisugi would normally be packing his own bag and heading out himself. Instead, he was sitting there, watching him. Keeping his eyes low, Mason took his stuff and tried to sandwich himself into the crowd of students leaving. Only, the students recoiled away from him, leaving him isolated and open to Mr. Mikisugi jutting his arm out across the doorway to prevent him leaving the classroom.

"I need to talk to you, Mason." He said calmly.

"I have to go." Mason shook his head and tried once more to leave, but Mr. Mikisugi grabbed him by the arm.

"I just want to talk. Please Mason."

The rest of the students had left, and Mason struggled to get himself free from his teacher. Mr. Mikisugi let go of him suddenly and he took the opportunity to charge the door. Instead of making it out, he collided into a very solid object and looked up to see a towering behemoth of a man with blonde hair and grey eyes. He was extremely masculine, like some bodybuilder gone to the extreme.

"I am Ira Gamagori. I would like you to remain here if you would please." The towering man said matter-of-factly.

Mason grimaced and tried shoving his way past him, but he wouldn't move. He may as well have been trying to move a mountain.

Gamagori then reached out and grabbed Mason by the collar, lifting him up and placing him back down a few feet further back into the classroom. He refused to be deterred and charged headlong into Gamagori, though with little effect.

The giant man then winded back his arm, much to Mikisugi's alarm. "Don't hit-"

Too late to heed the warning, Gamagori threw the punch, sending Mason flying back into the classroom and hitting the wall with a loud smack. He groaned and rubbed the back of his head, touching hot blood. That's all he needed. Mason got back up and walked back up to Gamagori as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

"Wait Mason! You don't need to do this!" Mikisugi tried to placate him.

Mason went to throw a punch, which Gamagori anticipated and was prepared to deflect it and detain him. Mason leaned back as if he were winding up a punch, before he let loose a deft kick that landed square in the center of Gamagori's gut and caused him to fly out of the doorway. He could feel the blood stop flowing from the back of his head and made a break for it.

This time he ran into a girl with short black hair and blue eyes. She held a rigid, dominating posture that showed confidence and her mere presence seemed to radiate authority. Her arm was held out to bar the doorway, and Mason was kept inside for a brief moment before he ducked under and tried to escape the girl. He was then caught by the collar as she casually threw him back into the classroom.

"God dammit! Get out of my way!" Mason shouted.

Satsuki was taken aback when the boy shoved her with enough strength to send her reeling backwards, only to be caught by Gamagori. They watched as Mason bolted down the hallway, taking a left turn and leaving their sight.

"After him!" Satsuki shouted as she led the charge after Mason.

"Dammit. This isn't going to plan." Ryuko abandoned her position behind the opposite wall in hopes that Mason would run her way and not the other hall.

Mikisugi charged out after them. "Remember, don't hurt him."

"Ryuko informed me." Satsuki hollered back.

"Nobody informed  _me_." Gamagori responded.

"Well, I was told to tell Tsumugu and Satsuki. Mikisugi never mentioned telling you." Ryuko smarted off. Gamagori gave her a brief glare, while she grinned innocently.

Mason tore down the halls, taking random turns in order to complicate his path in hopes of losing his pursuers. He just so happened to make his way down a hall where Tsumugu rounded the corner, holding his needle guns and aiming them at him. He turn tailed and heard the whizzing of needles fly past his ears as he made a right around the corner. He continued down and made another turn, only to come to a stop.

_A dead end?!_

He felt his heart leap into his mouth as he went up to the three doors, all of which were maintenance closets. He knew they would find him here, but he tried opening them in hopes of finding something he could use to escape. Two of the doors were locked, and the last one was incredibly difficult to pull open, but all that he found inside were tools like pliers and a utility knife.

Footsteps echoed down the hall and Mason turned back the way he'd came to see the Mohawk guy blocking the only exit. Not long after, the towering behemoth guy, Mr. Mikisugi, the intimidating girl and Ryuko Matoi showed up behind him too.

"Mason. Give it up. There's nowhere to go. Would you please just come quietly?" Mikisugi pleaded with him again.

"Leave me alone! What the hell do you want from me?!" Mason felt like a trapped animal.

Satsuki reached out to lower Tsumugu's weapons as she stepped forward.

"I am Satsuki Kiryuin. I have been made aware that someone has been causing a lot of trouble around here recently. It has come to my attention that the influence of Life Fibers may be involved. Tell me, honestly, if you are aware of what they are."

"There's that name again.  _Life Fibers_. What the  _hell_  are you guys talking about?!" Mason frowned.

"It seems you're not aware, which makes it unlikely that you're intentionally using a Goku uniform to terrorise the local population." Satsuki loosened her grip on Bakuzan, which she had been preparing in case Mason tried to make a move.

"What are you talking about? Goku uniforms? Life Fibers?! Are you all nuts?" Mason's breathing grew heavier. It felt like he was in a mental asylum.

"Just over six weeks ago, clothing from all across the world attempted to consume the human race. This was caused by Life Fibers embedded in the clothing."

Mason reeled, recalling the horrific incident. The same incident that caused his life to flip upside down. "You mean,  _those_  were Life Fibers?"

"They were made of them. Controlled by Ragyo Kiryuin. My mother. We put our efforts together to stop her before it was too late. However, some Life Fibers continue to thrive, and we are determined to seek them out and rid of them permanently."

Mason's jaw set, his gaze hardened and his fists were clenched tight. "Those things killed my parents."

The others all felt a pang of guilt for the boy, but Satsuki held her stance. "That is a tragedy. That is why we strive to eliminate Life Fibers from the world."

Mason looked up at her, grim faced and his entire body tense. "How noble. But that won't bring my parents back! Neither will harassing me! Now leave me the hell alone!"

"We can't do that. We have to be certain that you are completely free of Life Fiber influence." Satsuki insisted.

"I don't care! Get the hell away!" Mason reached into the supply closet he had opened and took the utility knife, pushing out the blade.

"Oh crap! Satsuki watch out!" Mikisugi cried out.

Mason stabbed the blade into his arm and hissed through clenched teeth as he twisted it slightly until he couldn't bear the pain. He threw the blade down and then readied a punch with his good arm. Yelling as he charged headlong at Satsuki, he wound back and let the full force of his weight carry his punch through. The hit connected, and made a soft bump sound as Satsuki remained standing, completely unharmed.

 _W-what?! No!_  Mason felt his heart drop and he inhaled through gritted teeth as he wound back up and threw another punch. No effect, yet again.

 _Why?! Why isn't it working?! Come on!_  Mason's resolve weakened as he uselessly hit Satsuki with futile effort.

Mason's hand was then caught and Tsumugu dragged him out into the hall and escorted him along with his good arm bent behind his back. The rest of them followed behind, silent.

"I had no idea that Ragyo had already inflicted so much damage on the world." Satsuki spoke lowly so only Ryuko, who stood beside her, could hear.


	9. What's So Special About You?

Mason knew it was useless to resist, especially in his current condition. They had bandaged his arm, and cuffed his good one to the chair that he sat on. He still had no idea how his curse worked, it seemed. He simply waited now as the others conversed in the other room, unable to hear them properly.

"I'll have to get Inumuta to perform the analysis. But we won't be able to perform any proper tests until he comes to the city with me." Satsuki waited for someone to object, though nobody did.

"Any ideas how you'll get him to come along peacefully?" Mikisugi inquired.

"None yet. He's stubborn. Kind of like a certain someone I know."

Ryuko blushed and frowned, pretending to be ignorant. "Yeah, well. Someone's going to have to walk in there and talk to him eventually."

When she got no response she looked back to see them all staring at her. "Wait. Don't tell me you're seriously thinking that-"

"You should do it." Satsuki interrupted before she could finish her thought.

"Why me?! Have Mikisugi do it!"

"Between all of us, you have the most empathic connection with him." Satsuki sounded very sure of herself.

Ryuko growled in reluctance but threw her hands up. "Fine! But I don't want to go in alone."

"You won't. Someone has to operate the scanner, so I'll be going in with you." Satsuki stood up and held in her hand a device that looked like a small silver rectangle with two prongs projecting from opposite ends at the top.

Ryuko turned to go into the room Mason was being held in when Satsuki's hand grabbed her shoulder. "There's also another reason why I need you to be in there with me."

"Hmm?" Ryuko frowned.

"I'll tell you when we get in."

Ryuko shrugged and opened the door as the two girls made their way in, closing the door behind them with a soft click. Mason kept his eyes to the ground, unmoving besides the small movements caused by his breathing. Ryuko pulled a chair up in front of him, while Satsuki took a seat further away to the side. A small frown creased Ryuko's face as she looked at the dejected boy.

That depressing look doesn't suit that handsome face. Ryuko thought.

"What do you want?" Mason mumbled.

"Well, you see. My sister, Satsuki here, needs to scan you. For Life Fibers." Ryuko tried to put as positively as she could. "It's not like it's going to hurt or anything-"

"Actually, it will hurt." Satsuki interrupted. Ryuko gave her a stern look and mouthed 'not helping' at her.

"I don't understand why you believe I'm connected with those… monsters." Mason looked up to glare at them both.

"Life Fibers enhance qualities like strength and speed. They give humans unnatural abilities that enable them to do things outside of what is considered their limits." Satsuki explained.

"So just because I grew a spine and learned a few self-defence moves, you think I'm abusing Life Fibers like a steroid?" Mason said sarcastically.

"Let's be very realistic. You may have grown a spine, but you gained something that enabled you to fight back. If it's not Life Fibers, then would you care to explain what it is you possess?" Mason diverted her gaze from Satsuki's, keeping his lips tightly sealed.

"If you can't, then I will be forced to find out the hard way."

"Go ahead. Do your worst." Mason closed his eyes and laid back in his seat.

"Ryuko, give me your arm." Satsuki pulled one of the prongs out of the rectangular device.

"What for?" She frowned.

"Well if he's like you, then we'll get a positive reading. If he's like me, then he's human." Satsuki wiggled the prong between her finger tips. "That's why I needed you here."

Ryuko cautiously lifted her arm up to Satsuki who put the prong very close to Ryuko's arm before pressing a button. The prong shot out a set of three needles that made small puncture wounds in Ryuko's arm. She felt only a quick sting, but nothing more.

That didn't stop her from screaming though.

"Ahh! I hate needles!" She screamed.

"Don't be such a baby." Satsuki grinned smugly. "Your turn."

Satsuki walked up to Mason who didn't resist as she inserted the needles into his arm. He looked up briefly to see Ryuko's face scrunched up and holding her breath tight, letting out small whimpers. The needles were obviously making her very uncomfortable. Mason couldn't help but admire how adorable she looked.

Satsuki tapped a few things on her side of the device, and frowned when it made a rapid series of beeping tones. "Negative."

Satsuki withdrew the needles from Ryuko's arm and inserted them into her own arm without hesitation. The removal of the needles made Ryuko relax and she rubbed at the tingly bit of skin where the needles had been put in. She looked up briefly to see Mason staring at her, a soft smile played on his features.

Now that looks better.

Noticing that Ryuko had caught him staring, he cast his gaze away hastily. Ryuko felt herself blush a little too as she tore her eyes reluctantly away from him.

Satsuki again hit the buttons, this time a rapid two beeps. "Positive. He's human."

"So, no Life Fibers at all?" Ryuko frowned. "Good thing I didn't rip your heart out then."

"You were going to do what?!" Mason stared at her wide-eyed.

"And we're certain it's not a Goku uniform?" Satsuki approached Mason and felt the fabric of his shirt before tugging harshly and ripping it with ease.

"Definitely not a Goku uniform." She confirmed. "So, Mason. How come sometimes you're powerful beyond measure, and other times you couldn't hurt a fly if you tried."

Mason kept his gaze down as Satsuki removed the needles from his arm. He was silent for a moment, contemplating if he could even discuss what had occurred. Then again, the voice never said he had to keep it a secret.

"It happened on the same day that you stood up for me." Mason said slowly. "I was attacked later that night. Grievously injured by four thugs."

Ryuko frowned. "I think I saw the news report on that incident. Only, it was the other way around."

"Well you see, I was on the brink of death. Then I got… cursed. It let me defend myself."

"Cursed? Really?" Ryuko scoffed in disbelief. "What, did you make a deal with the Devil or something?"

"I don't know. It was offered to me by this voice. It sounded like he was everywhere at once. Talking in riddles."

Ryuko's eyes opened wide and she leaned forward intently. "This voice! Did it come to you in pitch blackness?"

It was Mason's turn to frown and look up in confusion. "Yes. It did. Why?"

Ryuko's jaw set. "I can't say for sure. But I think he talked to me too."

Satsuki looked between the two of them. "Would you care to explain, Ryuko?"

"Last night. I was heading to bed when the world went pitch black outside my window. I heard a voice calling my name, and then it told me that it was giving me a 'gift'."

"Something similar to Mason's 'gift'?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you about it earlier. It's about Senketsu. He came back. Along with my original scissor blade half."

It was Satsuki's turn to look suspicious. "Are you certain?"

"I woke up to him this morning and hung him up in my wardrobe. I wanted to discuss it with you and Mikisugi when I got the chance, but…" She looked at Mason who was eyeing them both suspiciously.

"Perhaps there is some connection. I already told you that I had found Bakuzan in my bed last night. Attached to it was a note, informing me that I would need it for something upcoming. Although I cannot say that I heard a voice."

"Are you trying to say that something has come and given us all 'gifts'?"

"Perhaps you two can call it a gift." They both looked at Mason. "He called mine a damn curse!" He hissed.

"It doesn't seem like one." Ryuko commented.

"I don't even know how it works! It seems to come and go of its own volition! And you! Whatever it was, that damned voice wouldn't shut up about you!" His gaze trained on Ryuko as he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Ryuko frowned, seeing the poisonous look on Mason's face.

"What is so special about you? Why was this voice so obsessed with you?"

"What did the voice say?" Satsuki interrupted.

"I don't know. It's silent for a moment, and then it just says 'Ryuko Matoi'. He told me that I had to use my curse to do something for him, and whatever it is, it involves you." He indicated Ryuko.

Ryuko and Satsuki looked at one another with uncertainty. There were plenty of questions, but no answers as of yet. Well, at least there were a few answers.

Satsuki went back into the room the others waited in. They all looked up expectantly at her.

"He's clean. No Life Fibers to be found." Satsuki handed the device to Gamagori who read the interface and nodded.

"So what is it? What's making him so obscenely powerful?" Mikisugi frowned.

"He claims it's a curse. Laid upon him so he can defend himself."

"Sounds like a load of crap to me." Tsumugu said gruffly. Everybody else nodded in agreement with his statement.

"Maybe so. Whatever it is, it was supposedly given to him by the very same thing that may very well have given me back Bakuzan. Along with Ryuko's Kamui and scissor blade."

"What? Ryuko has Senketsu back? Why didn't she tell me?" Mikisugi stood up to go confront her, until she appeared from the other room.

"Because I got distracted by your sudden appearance at the store. And I figured I could tell you later when we didn't have such pressing matters." She discreetly angled her head to indicate Mason in the other room.

Mikisugi sighed and sat back down. "Fair enough. So what are we going to do now?"

"We'll have to stress test his abilities. We should know what he's capable of. Perhaps then he can better control it." Satsuki then looked down thoughtfully as to how she was going to accomplish that without his cooperation.

The door then burst open, with Mason standing before them. They all looked at him in shock, he raised his cuffed hand to show that he had broken the chain linking him to the chair. After the needles had been put in him, he had waited to free himself. But now…

"Where will you take me?" Mason stared straight into Satsuki's eyes.

"Back to my place, in the city." Satsuki met his tone evenly.

"And you say you'll help me learn more about my curse?"

"I give you my word."

Mason looked around at the others, all of them warily looking at him. "Then what are we waiting for?"


	10. Centurion

The first expeditionary team returned earlier that morning with the first shipment of Life Fibers salvaged from the REVOC's building. Reportedly there wasn't as much as Janus had expected, but still a vast quantity to supplement her plans. The better part of their morning was spent waiting for the tailor's to figure out how they would implement the strange red threads into the dissected uniforms provided. Luckily, the tailors didn't question the origin of the strange threads, thought it did help that they were being paid to stay quiet, on top of the large sum they were already receiving.

It had taken many trials, but the end result was beyond expectations. Janus looked at the seemingly insignificant uniform laid before her, crafted by the fine hands of the tailors. It looked identical to the standard uniform, but she could feel the difference in the fabric. It felt alive.

"Let's run a trial straight away." Janus announced. "I cannot wait to see how it performs."

"At your behest." Jarret snapped his fingers as two guards approached, picking up the uniform and carrying it out.

Janus looked out a viewing glass over a sizeable room that would house the field test. The walls had been reinforced with steel plating and concrete, amongst other things. She could see the other subjects shuffling into the room. Ten soldiers stood in formation on one side of the room, rifles in hand. From the other door, a lone man walked in, dressed in the custom made uniform.

Each and every soldier was notified that this was an experimental armour test, though they weren't informed of the Life Fibers. The ten soldiers were all given live ammunition, in order to truly test the uniform's ability to withstand a real firefight. The lone subject wearing the uniform was given stun rounds in order to cause non-lethal injury to his fellow comrades.

"Experimental armour test one. Commence." A voice announced over speakers to the soldiers in the room.

Janus watched in fascination as the lone soldier initiated his transformation as instructed. The uniforms appearance altered, the entire thing shifted from normal looking clothing into a metal looking material. The shoulder pads grew into large pauldrons, and it even went as far as to provide the soldier a helmet. His entire head was protected, face obscured by an opaque, ominous, black visor similar to a stereotypical motorbike helmet. In mere moments, he had adopted armour out of thin air.

The other soldiers raised their weapons, aimed, and fired. Janus' smile grew larger as she watched the bullets ricocheting off the armour. No matter where they hit, the rounds just bounced off, he didn't even appear to be intimidated by the sheer volume of gunfire. Janus watched as the soldier raised his own rifle, and in split second bursts he was pulling the trigger.

With expert timing and precision, the soldier was landing one round into each soldier's chest. One after another they fell, there was no excessive waste of ammunition, no hesitation to taking aim. He was the super soldier that Janus had dreamed of making. By the time he had finished with the others, Janus halted the test to remove them before continuing.

"Commence experimental armour test two." Janus ordered.

"Commencing." She watched as the soldier let his gun drop to the floor.

From the other side of the room, a lone man walked in holding a fifty calibre sniper rifle. Janus watched with impatience as he set the rifle on the ground on a bipod, getting behind it and taking aim at the soldier's chest. He showed no fear and stood to face the bullet. The gunshot was deafening from inside the room, but Janus watched with excitement as the bullet bounced violently off the armour and spun off only to hit the glass with a *TINK!*.

The rifleman readied another shot, this time the bullet was aimed at his head. The gun went off again, and even though the soldier was pushed back a couple steps, the bullet once again fell harmlessly on the floor. With the test over, the rifleman packed up and left. The entire time he looked in complete awe at how the armour had withstood his shots.

"Commence test three." Janus spoke over intercom.

This test involved the soldier standing in the middle of the room while two wall panels enclosed around him, attempting to crush him. The mechanical arms bearing the plates groaned and screeched in protest before giving out. The soldier was again, unharmed.

"Commence test four!"

A block of concrete was raised from the floor. A perfect five meter cube, the soldier cracked his knuckles in a display of confidence as he threw a punch into the center of the block. The thing cracked and splintered, he continued hammering it with punches and within seconds the block disintegrated as dust motes scattered into the air.

"Test five!"

The block was removed, and now a bomb was raised up on the other side of the room. The soldier picked up the remote trigger lying next to it and depressed the button. The bomb went off with an incredible display of fiery light, leaving only black smoke to fill the room. The ventilators sucked the smoke out of the room and revealed the soldier slumped against the wall. He steadily got back up, however, giving a thumbs up.

Janus' heart fluttered with excitement. This was revolutionary. This was what she aspired for when Ragyo had first introduced her to the Life Fibers, showing her those Goku uniforms. The soldier exited his transformation and left the room, with only black scars across the walls to tell what had happened.

"What do you think?" Jarret was pleased by the excitement on her face.

"It's… wonderful." She could not think of another word to express her joy.

"Shall we have the uniform returned for further analysis?"

"Yes. But afterwards I want it given back to that soldier. He's promoted."

Jarret made a quick mental note as he voiced over the intercom to the scientists in the other room. "Evaluate any damage to the uniform. Return it once you're finished."

"We can make an army. An unstoppable army." Janus spoke aloud to nobody in particular.

"I take it that you would like the tailors to make more of them?"

"Absolutely! We can even increase the total Life Fiber composition this time around."

"I shall see to it. Have you considered giving them a name?"

"A name? Do you think they need one?" Janus turned to face him.

"If you believe they are worthy of one. People often name their successes."

"Hmm." Janus closed her eyes to think for a moment. "Centurions."

"Didn't see that one coming." He snickered, though she ignored him.

"Yes. That's what we shall call the soldiers who will wear these uniforms in the name of humanity. They shall safeguard the future, each one worth a hundred soldiers."

"At your behest." Jarret nodded.

"And to think that was an example of what Ragyo would have considered a 'one star' Goku uniform." Janus intertwined her fingers, thinking of the capabilities of a two, or even three starred uniform. Then again…

Why stop there?


	11. Limitation

 

Mason slouched in the back seat of the car, while Satsuki sat up front along with Gamagori who was driving. They were just crossing the bridge from Konru to Century city, supposedly heading to her place. He was beginning to second guess his decision, but suspected if he resisted they would have taken him by force regardless. Besides, his arm was no longer injured, thanks to Satsuki.

* * *

"I can't believe you're willing to go. Just like that?" Mikisugi sounded doubtful.

"Satsuki is convinced I need to learn more about my curse. So if it means I get to, then I'll go."

"Before we do," Satsuki approached Mason. "I recall being told that your wounds spontaneously recover when you inflict injuries upon others." She indicated the red-soaked bandage around his arm.

Mason hesitantly nodded. "That's right."

"Hit me." Everyone jumped as Satsuki said this.

"Lady Satsuki?!" Gamagori stood but Satsuki raised a hand to halt him.

"But why? You realise it's going to hurt, right?" Ryuko insisted.

"I want to see it for myself. Now hit me." Satsuki stared deadpanned into Mason's eyes.

Mason hesitated, but he curled his hand into a fist and struck her shoulder. The force of the blow made her grunt and stagger backwards. Mason then clutched the bandage on his arm and tore it off, revealing that the deep cut he had inflicted upon himself was now gone.

Satsuki looked at him with a smile plastered on her face. "Very impressive." Everybody else seemed to think so too as they gawked at him.

Satsuki asked Gamagori to escort Mason to their car while she spoke with the others.

"You're not going to stay, Satsuki?" Ryuko sounded disappointed.

"No. I'm sorry. The work we're doing is too important right now."

"Make sure to write to us then." Mikisugi quipped.

Tsumugu remained silent, but Ryuko was depressed that her older sister had to leave so suddenly. It was a strange feeling, once upon a time she hated the very thought of Satsuki Kiryuin. Now, she wanted to spend more quality time with her, like they had the past few weeks before their permanent moving arrangements. They had gone and done girly stuff that she never quite imagined herself doing, let alone enjoying it as much as she did.

Now, the Life Fibers had once again taken away the happy times and placed them in the thick of trouble.

"I'm sure we'll get to do those things again." Ryuko looked up quizzically at Satsuki who smiled softly at her.

_Did she read my mind or something?_

"If you think I read your mind or something, you'd be sorely mistaken. I don't think you quite realised you were speaking your thoughts out loud."

Ryuko's face went crimson as she looked back at the two Nudist Beach members. Tsumugu was looking at her as though she were an imposter, and Mikisugi was grinning from ear to ear, struggling to stifle laughter under one hand.

"What are you looking at me like that for?!" Ryuko blurted out. She spun away to hide how flustered she was.

Satsuki laid a hand on her shoulder and Ryuko's attention was pulled back to her. Without a word she pulled her into an embrace, which Ryuko hesitated briefly before reciprocating. It was short and brief, but enough to comfort her.

"Take care of yourself." Satsuki whispered.

Ryuko watched Satsuki depart before turning her attention back to the others.

"Touching sisterly love." Mikisugi teased.

Ryuko scowled but chose to ignore him. "Well now that Mason's going with Satsuki, what do we do?"

"What we were doing before this entire debacle. We keep our eyes and ears open for any sign of Life Fibers." Mikisugi sounded almost disappointed that the recent excitement had come to an end.

"For you, Matoi, that means getting back to work. You'll have to make up for the past two days by working overtime." Tsumugu's voice didn't hold a sliver of humour.

Ryuko stared at him, mouth agape. "What! Are you kidding?"

"Nope."

Ryuko groaned inwardly. "Fine…"

* * *

The car pulled up to the front of a rather magnificent estate that looked fit for royalty. Gamagori opened the door for Mason to step out and Satsuki led the way into the house. He felt like an inmate being escorted into prison. Inside was even more grand and spacious, with marble walls, polished ceramic flooring and ornate stone columns. Over-sized windows lined the walls, and were even implemented in the ceiling, offering natural lighting to the stark white surroundings.

Stood in the middle of the room was a welcoming committee of five. Mason guessed that these people must live with Satsuki.

"Welcome back Lady Satsuki!" They spoke in unison, lined up before her.

"Thank you. I'd like to introduce you to our guest. Mason Date. He will be staying with us for some time."

Mason gave a shy wave as they nodded at him in recognition.

"Inumuta. I'll need you and Shiro to come with me. You too, Mason." Satsuki made her way across the room as Mason followed behind her.

Just in front of him were two men, a tall one with short blue hair, the other was short with long blonde hair. Neither looked to be as masculine as either Gamagori or the other guy with the dark green hair and the bandanna. Although from how they were conversing, he could only guess that they were the brains of this rag-tag bunch. The three of them spoke casually with one another, as if oblivious of his presence.

"I'm not sure what got you thinking that Century Security might have been the culprit for taking the REVOC's merchandise, Lady Satsuki, but you were correct. After some digging, we found that they had been receiving shipments without any clear information on the contents. However, the company had recently hired many tailors, so we can conclude that they are most likely gathering the Life Fibers and using them for something."

"Good work, as ever, Inumuta."

"May I ask what you need us for, Lady Satsuki?" The shorter blonde man spoke this time.

"Our guest here is a rather peculiar case. I have arranged a deal with him."

"How peculiar are we speaking?" Inumuta inquired.

"Very. I will explain."

Mason followed them the entire way through the estate, taking one turn after another. He feared what Satsuki was spouting would be taken as lunacy. It sure sounded like it the way she was explaining it, but the two of them didn't say a word the entire time. Explaining how he was cursed, his capacity to regenerate wounds, and other possible 'abilities' that he might have been capable of. He realised how ridiculous the entire thing sounded.

"I see. What do you think Shiro?" Inumuta turned his attention to his colleague.

"I say we have quite a challenge ahead of us." Shiro turned to look at Mason as though he were a walking experiment.

"I know it sounds like a load of nonsense, but…" Mason was lost for words.

Satsuki filled them in for him. "Nonsense is how we roll."

Together they walked to the end of an unfurnished room. It appeared to be a dead end, until Satsuki pulled a seamless panel out of the wall, revealing a lever. Dragging it down with a  ***CLUNK*** , a section of the wall slid open. Mason guessed it was a panic room of some sorts, with a staircase leading down into darkness. They descended only to end up in a room that stood in striking contrast to the rest of the house.

While upstairs was pure white marble, down here every surface was simple concrete, grey and dungeon looking. A few meters from the staircase, a large desk went from wall to wall, covered in computer terminals, with several more hanging from the ceiling above. Beyond that was what looked like a containment chamber, kept separated by a green tinted glass window. The only thing that connected them was a door to the right of the desk.

"This is the place we intend on storing the Life Fibers as we figure out what to do with them." Satsuki explained. "But for now, I think it could make an excellent training facility for you to use."

Satsuki turned her attention to Mason as he gulped nervously. "Training…?"

"Of course. Someone has to teach you how to use your abilities properly. I intend on doing so myself."

"Lady Satsuki, are you certain? After all you've told us, it could be dangerous, even for you." Inumuta voiced.

"I don't believe anybody else would be able to withstand his strength. I am certain of it, in fact. Would you two please set up the monitoring systems?"

The two boys went about tapping on consoles and interfaces as they powered on the array of computers.

"You will need to wear these." Satsuki presented Mason some gel pads with transmitters built in.

Both of them began fitting the measuring devices on where Inumuta instructed. Once they were getting clear readings, they both entered the chamber. Yet again, the chamber stood in contrast to the entrance of the dungeon. It was at least four times as big, with lights illuminating the room from the ceiling. The walls and floor were also covered in padding, conveniently.

"I want you to hold nothing back." Satsuki commanded him, which Mason gave a tentative nod.

Satsuki moved forward at alarming speed and delivered a swift kick to his ribs, followed by a blow to the right shoulder and then proceeding to grab his right wrist and twist his arm up and behind his back. Satsuki then released her grip on him and stood back.

"Now do the same thing I did."

Mason clumsily stepped forward, his kick was wildly inaccurate, although the force was enough to stagger Satsuki. Mason tried to fake punch Satsuki but she caught on to his ploy and dragged Mason closer, locking his own arm around his neck.

"I told you to not hold back!" Satsuki shoved the boy away. "Again!"

Mason tried again, though this time he didn't pull his punches and when his punch went for Satsuki's shoulder, the raven haired girl moved slightly so that the hit grazed her. His follow up by grabbing Satsuki's wrist and attempting to trap it behind her back resulted in him being thrown down on the floor and Satsuki placing her knee over his throat.

"You will have to do better than that."

They kept this up for some time, until Mason felt noticeably exhausted, and worst of all, he could feel the dull ache of pain that came with overextending his limitations. Both Inumuta and Shiro seemed to pick up on this also as they called through to them both.

"Satsuki, we're getting some strange readings here. Mason's vitals are registering pain across his entire body."

Satsuki glanced at the boy and noted that she had been intentionally striking the same three parts of his body. Therefore, whatever pain he was feeling was not being caused by her.

"I'm well aware… of what this is…" Mason panted heavily. The pain wasn't too terrible, but he couldn't ignore it either.

"Do explain." Satsuki encouraged.

"When I get hurt enough, my body starts to cause me pain by itself. It doesn't go away until I inflict some damage on someone else."

"Then strike me. I will not resist." Satsuki put her hands behind her back.

Mason made an educated guess that Satsuki could still win their fight, even if she refused to use her hands. Nonetheless, he walked up and hit Satsuki square in the chest, sending her crashing to the floor and sliding back several meters.

"That seems to have done it. The signals have stopped completely." Shiro confirmed.

Satsuki stood up and smiled contently. "So you have limitations. Is there anything else that you know of?"

"I know of this… traumatic attack, where I purge myself of all my accumulated strength." Mason informed her.

Satsuki raised an eyebrow. "Show me."

"But, it will cause you intense pain and you'll collapse!"

"Perhaps so. But Inumuta and Shiro will still gather the data we require to learn more about your power."

"I-I can't. I won't." Mason looked down at his hand in what he could only describe as resentment.

"Then I'll have to change your mind." Mason looked up in surprise as Satsuki delivered a swift kick to the side of his head.

Mason fell over onto the floor and he could immediately feel the pain in his body start pulsing again. Satsuki grabbed him by the hair and threw him across the room. Mason yelled as the pain worsened, struggling to stand. Satsuki advanced on him and planted her knee on his chest, keeping him down, taking hold of his left arm and twisting it harshly.

"Lady Satsuki, the readings are starting to get sporadic."

Mason could feel the torturous feeling peaking across his body. He couldn't help himself but screw his eyes shut and let out strained grunts of agony. Satsuki only kept increasing the pressure, looking down at him without mercy.

"You can stop this. You just have to get it over with." Satsuki sounded as though she were more than willing to break his arm to prove her point.

Mason gritted his teeth and managed to lift his right hand up and push his fore and middle fingers into Satsuki's side. Her grip on him suddenly slackened, and he could hear the deafening scream coming from Satsuki above him. Five seconds passed before she stopped, and Satsuki's grip on his arm released as she fell over onto the floor. Mason stood up and was relieved that the agonising pain had ceased.

Inumuta rushed into the room to tend to Satsuki, placing her in a more comfortable position. "Looks like she'll be fine. But you gave her one hell of a nasty shock. Literally."

Mason blinked at him in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Come take a look." Inumuta laid Satsuki's head on a cushion he had brought in with him before leading Mason back into the monitoring room.

"It's fascinating. Look here." Inumuta indicated two screens, one appeared to have an outline similar to his own, and the other was Satsuki.

Inumuta began scrolling back the readings to specific points. Each time, Satsuki's body would light up, and then Mason's, he understood that this must have been them trading blows. Then when Mason's figure lit up, it didn't die back down, and after a few more moments, Satsuki's figure exploded into colour that nearly blinded the screen.

"I don't get it. What does that all mean?" Mason frowned.

"Going off other readings we were gathering, it seems you have a very complex mechanism when it comes to dealing with pain. When you receive something that would be considered painful, you also generate some kind of electrical charge inside of your body's nervous system. The stronger the impact on your body means a more painful outcome, and you generate more charge."

Mason was shown some readings, one of which was spiking up and down, but progressively rising.

"Eventually, your body struggles to deal with the amount of electrical energy that's building up inside of you. It begins to shift around inside of you using your nervous system, hence why you start to feel pain. In theory, if you generated sufficient electrical charge inside of your body, you would die as it surged throughout your nervous system."

"Oh good." Mason said sarcastically.

"On the other hand, what we just witnessed was you dumping all of that energy like an electrical discharge into another person's nervous system through physical contact. The power output in this case was equivalent to a lightning strike. Technically, all of this should be impossible for a human being to do. So whatever 'cursed' you, turned you into a walking, talking, rechargeable battery."

Mason gave Inumuta an unamused look. "You said something about a power output similar to a lightning strike? I thought that they were capable of killing people?"

Mason's voice trailed off as he looked back to Satsuki. Inumuta caught onto his unvoiced concern.

"A similar voltage, but not current. It's the current that determines how much voltage is delivered at any given moment. From our readings, the current that you produced was not enough to kill someone, but just barely."

"So, you're saying I can't kill anyone with it?" Mason said hopefully.

"We would need to run more tests, but it doesn't appear you can. The worst you can do is fry their nervous system and cause them to fall unconscious until their body recovers from the shock."

Mason let out a breath of relief.

"That being said, I'm afraid I don't know how to explain the sudden increase in strength that you exhibit when you have generated an electric charge. Without it you hit like normal, but when charged it's clear that there's a force multiplier behind your hits. I also cannot explain why you cutting your own arm didn't generate any charge either. I assume it must have hurt a great deal?"

"That's an understatement." Mason cringed at the memory.

"Then from what I can tell, the most dangerous thing you can do is brutalise someone with your obscene strength. Though what you thought might have been your strongest ability isn't actually all that strong at all. It leaves you defenseless should there be more than one attacker. Though I will admit, it's very effective at incapacitating the unlucky individual struck by it."

Mason nodded and made a mental note to use his Pain Surge as a last resort only. "I hope I don't have to do that again. I feel horrible…"

"Then you're out of luck."

Mason looked up to see Satsuki stood in the doorway, smiling cruelly.


	12. Paranoia

Mason let out a gasp as Satsuki's knee connected with his stomach. He fell onto the floor and rolled onto his back, eyes closed as he coughed up blood. He could feel more dripping from his nose from when Satsuki had sent him flying halfway across the room with a single punch to the face. Now she stood above him, Bakuzan pointed down at his neck.

"Get up and try again!" She whisked the blade away from his face and took several paces back before facing him again.

Mason stood up and could feel the familiar pulse of pain going across his entire body. Wiping the blood from his lips, he raised his hands wearily, the way that Satsuki had drilled into him. It was supposed to give him ample positioning to react quickly to frontal attacks, though so far it had proven fairly useless. Satsuki whirled forward at him, her sword arcing and connecting with his arm. She had turned it ever so slightly so that the flat of the blade hit him, but that didn't mean she held back.

Mason spun around from the hit, and Satsuki drove forward, kicking him in the back and sending him sprawling onto the floor. Placing his palms on the floor, he tried to push himself up, but ultimately sagged back down. He exhaled slowly, exhausted and sore all over. Even though he felt like giving up, the constant pain was nagging his subconscious to get up and fight back. Satsuki planted her foot on his back and let the tip of Bakuzan dig into his shoulder as she made a cut down his back.

Mason growled in pain as she slowly dragged it down his back. The pain escalated and finally his subconscious lashed out and drowned out his control over his own body. He pushed himself up, getting back on his feet while throwing Satsuki off his back and Bakuzan from her grip. He turned and threw himself at her, launching punches and kicks at random. She easily dodged them, and then flung a roundhouse kick into the side of his head.

Mason hit the floor hard, his ears ringing and his vision blurred. He could feel the desperation inside of himself growing overwhelming. It yearned to release his body of the agony, to purge it all into someone else. He shook his head to clear away the disorientation and made to stand up. He felt a pinprick in his arm, and his entire body slumped back down to the ground as his arm weakened. As he attempted to get back up again, more pinpricks pierced his other arm and both legs until he was immobilised.

 _Damn Anaesthetic Acupuncture._ Mason silently cursed. At least the pain had subsided.

* * *

_The same day Mason arrived at Satsuki's mansion…_

"That's enough for today." Satsuki announced. Mason heaved for breath, both hands on his knees.

They had been 'training' for the past three hours, with him getting his ass handed to him endlessly. The only time he got to hit her was when she let him, and that was to intentionally measure the strength of his Pain Surge. They had determined that the strength of the attack was proportional to how much punishment Mason 'absorbed'. This trend followed with his standard attacks too, with his strength diminishing as he hurt Satsuki.

With the session called off, the two of them removed the monitoring pads and went back upstairs to clean up. Inumuta and Shiro remained to continue calculating data and determining what further tests they could conduct. After showering, Satsuki directed Mason to the guest bedroom where he would be staying. It was a small room, barren of any furniture besides a bed and bedside table.

As far as Mason was concerned, he would be spending most of his time down in the training room anyway, and it was only temporary accommodation.

"Lady Satsuki." Mason had thought about how he would raise this concern for some time.

"Hm? What's on your mind?"

"I was wondering how you intend on keeping my curse under control? That is, without causing someone to suffer incredible pain?"

"You mean purging your body of all that excess power after each training session?" Satsuki had managed to put his thoughts into a coherent sentence.

"Er, yeah."

"I was thinking about this too." Satsuki reached into her coat and withdrew a needle. "This is called an Anaesthetic Acupunctural Needle. Courtesy of Nudist Beach. It nullifies Life Fibers and can be used therapeutically on human beings."

"Nudist Beach…?" Mason raised a curious eyebrow.

"A resistance group that opposes Life Fibers. Aikuro Mikisugi is the leader, and because Life Fibers exist in clothing, they refuse to wear them." Satsuki surmised quickly.

"I see." Mason studied the seemingly insignificant needle in her hand. "May I ask how that works?"

"Simple. It delivers an anaesthetic that affects nerve signalling and causes muscle paralysis. Upon removal, the chemicals will rejuvenate and relax the body."

"And you think that can help me somehow?"

"Your electrical charge is stored inside of your nervous system. I was thinking that if we cut off the electrical activity in your nerves, it might eliminate the charge."

Mason looked curiously at her. "Did Inumuta happen to suggest this idea to you?"

"Yes, he did." Satsuki gave him a ghost of a smile.

"Alright. Let's give it a shot."

"Not so fast. We'll have to test it first in the training room. For now, as long as you're not hurting, you'll do without." Satsuki placed the needle back into her coat. "Speaking of which, be there by nine in the morning."

Without another word, she had turned away from him and left. Mason nodded and headed into the room, sitting down on the bed. Taking off his shirt, he inspected several cuts and bruises that Satsuki had left on him. Though none were serious, they still hurt to touch. He lay down in the bed and questioned if he had made the right decision for the hundredth time that day.

 _No turning back now._  He thought, letting himself drift off into sleep.

The next day, they had decided to test some of the discrepancies in Mason's curse. Firstly, they had Mason cut his arm using Bakuzan and monitored his electrical charge. Each time that Mason intentionally caused himself direct harm, he failed to generate charge and ultimately didn't grow any stronger. However, Satsuki devised a further test to try and bypass this limitation.

Mason stood holding a remote in his hand as the others hid in the control room. He hadn't been told of what the test was, but the concerned looks on Inumuta and Shiro's faces was not a good sign. Not to mention that he was standing in front of a cannon.

"Where did you guys even get a cannon from? And how'd you get it down here?" Mason stared at it in disbelief.

"That's… not important. Push the button, Mason." Inumuta voiced over the intercom.

"I don't think I want to."

"Push the button. Now." Satsuki spoke with annoyance.

Mason sighed and resigned himself to fate, depressing the button.

The cannon bellowed flames and the entire room erupted with sound. Mason felt something slam into his chest, sending him flying back into the wall several meters away. He slumped down on the ground and grunted in pain, clutching his chest. Looking down he could see the object that had hit him was a rectangular red bag. As he tried to pick it up he could feel the bag was filled with sand.

In the control room, Inumuta registered a positive reading in Mason's readings. "Your theory is correct, Lady Satsuki."

"Mason couldn't gain power from direct self-harm. However, I was curious of what would happen if he were to indirectly hurt himself."

Mason stood up slowly and groaned. "Please tell me something good came out of this."

"Indeed. You have successfully gained power through shooting yourself with a cannon." Inumuta spoke light heartedly.

"Fantastic…" The sarcasm dripping from Mason's voice.

"I think that's enough for now. We'll come back later to run further tests." Satsuki announced, much to his relief.

The next set of tests involved Mason attempting to use his Pain Surge on inanimate objects, all of which were failures. Inumuta concluded that Mason could only utilise his powers on another living creature. Due to the electrical nature exhibited by the curse, Inumuta had Mason attempt to interact with a power coil connected to a battery. Bizarrely enough, the charge stored inside of Mason's body seemed to fluctuate upon contact, though it failed to pass from him into the coil.

Finally Satsuki called it off. Mason had already overextended his pain limit and after much coercion, used his Pain Surge on her again. When Satsuki recovered, Mason had already been sent away, leaving her to discuss the following day's tests with Inumuta and Shiro.

"I think it's time we tested these Nudist Beach weapons." Inumuta held up one of the needles.

"Agreed. We can't keep relying on you to drain him of power, my Lady. We still don't know if there are any long term health effects associated with being struck by that Pain Surge." Shiro's face creased with a frown.

"Very well. We will see if they have any effect on him. If they do, we can at least use them should he become an issue." Satsuki nodded in acknowledgement.

Mason had been on his way down to check that Satsuki was okay, but upon hearing the conversation he stopped halfway down. Without a word, he turned around and went back up silently.

* * *

It was now the third day since he had arrived. After hearing their conversation last night, he was extremely reluctant to even attend this morning's training session. Mason gritted his teeth, unable to clench his fists or move any other part of his limbs for that matter.

 _Oh, they work alright._  He thought bitterly.

Upon seeing his inability to move, Satsuki determined that the needles were working as intended. However, she was surprised to see that he was capable of resisting the effects of a single needle. Only when she fired multiple needles into all of his limbs did he finally succumb to their effects. She looked through the glass at Inumuta and awaited on him to announce any significant readings.

"There's a definite decrease in electrical charge stored inside Mason's body. But it's only a small decline."

"Very good. Tell me more when I come back in." Satsuki responded triumphantly.

Mason thought that she would leave him to grovel on the floor, but was surprised when she came and pried the needles from him. He no longer felt the sting of pain coursing through his body, but he felt vulnerable that now there was a weapon that could be used against him. Getting back up on his feet, he dragged himself into the room with the others who were examining the computer screens.

"The anaesthesia injected into his nervous system stopped all nearby signal transductions. This in turn caused the electrical build-up in the local nerves to dissipate, resulting in a loss of overall charge. But, normally the anaesthesia would spread systemically to affect the entire body. In this case, it was contained and unable to spread, almost like his body was resisting its effects." Inumuta pointed at animated images of what was occurring inside of Mason's body.

"Which means that the anaesthesia has limited therapeutic effects for Mason." Shiro added.

 _You misspoke the word 'subdue'_ Mason thought spitefully.

"We will have to continue exploring different alternatives. There is still so much we don't know about this curse." Inumuta turned back to the computers.

"Come back later, Mason. We'll do a few more tests and we can have an early finish." Satsuki said without even looking at him.

Mason nodded slowly and made his way out of the room. Whatever it was they were discussing down there, he wouldn't be able to eavesdrop like he had yesterday.

Mason returned an hour later, finding them all still in the control room. He questioned if they had even left the cramped confines during his break.

"Ah, Mason. Make yourself comfortable. Inumuta is just going to apply my monitoring pads." Satsuki directed him to take a seat.

Mason sat down and lay back, watching as Inumuta went over with different looking gel squares than he was familiar with.

"Those look different." Mason frowned.

"They've been modified. We want to know if your power will have any long term effects on someone." Inumuta went about sticking the pads in seemingly random places on Satsuki's body.

"Specifically the heart, brain, and other vital organs." Shiro finished.

"So there's no need for me to have any this time?"

"Nope. Okay, you're ready to go my Lady." Inumuta stepped back to the desk.

"Alright, Mason. Time to head into the testing room." Satsuki indicated for him to enter.

Mason walked in, noticing how many more monitoring pads Satsuki had on than previously. That was excluding the ones she also had on under her clothes. She stood across from him and placed her hands on her hips.

"Tell me when you've reached your limit, Mason." Satsuki seemed oblivious of his staring.

"Uh. Sure." Mason responded, somewhat distracted. That changed when she delivered an upwards kick straight into his jaw.

He reeled back and she lunged forward, punching him in the gut. It didn't take long for him to start feeling the grating pain as she wailed on him. He stood up after receiving a roundhouse kick to the head, a hand extended telling her to stop.

"Okay. Okay, I'm hurt. What now?" Mason groaned.

"Use your Pain Surge." Satsuki ordered him.

"Ah Jeez…" Mason grumbled.

"We've already been through this. Just get it over with." Satsuki glared.

Mason sighed and approached, digging his fore and middle fingers into her side.

Inumuta and Shiro watched the monitors intensely. The monitoring pads were showing every nerve firing off simultaneously and constantly. They paid close attention to the ones close to her vital organs, noticing that the activity there was less than across the rest of her body. Finally, the violent activity ceased. All monitors were showing scrambled signals as an aftermath of the electrical discharge.

However, they stared wide-eyed at the screen monitoring Satsuki's heart. It wasn't reporting any electrical activity. It stayed this way for five seconds, six, seven... ten…

Inumuta's hands clenched into fists. They both gasped as the monitor flared up and showed an electrical pulse. Then another, and soon the rhythm was picking up and back to normal. Inumuta slumped back into his chair, exhaling loudly. Examining all other screens, each monitor was reporting normal activity and there was no sign that Mason had even used his Pain Surge on Satsuki besides her unconscious form on the floor.

They waited until Satsuki recovered before informing her of their findings.

"He stopped your heart, Lady Satsuki." Inumuta stared accusingly at Mason.

"What about everything else?" Satsuki indicated the other screens.

"No permanent damage. Your brain got overloaded, causing you to collapse, but otherwise nothing serious. Everything else is fine." Inumuta continued.

Satsuki nodded and seemed satisfied with the results. "You can go, Mason."

It was more of a command than a suggestion. Mason made his way out of the room and back into the mansion. Once they were sure he was gone, Inumuta whirled around.

"Lady Satsuki. He's far too dangerous."

"I'm aware."

"So why do you insist on letting him do this to you?"

"Because we had to find out more. Strengths, weaknesses, things we stand to benefit from knowing if the situation calls for it."

"You could have died, my Lady." Shiro pitched in his own concerns.

"I know. For your peace of mind, we'll stop further tests. I think we know all we need to for the time being." Satsuki let out an exasperated sigh. "You two worry too much."

"Thank you, my Lady." The two of them spoke in unison.

"Organise a meeting with the others. We shall discuss this matter at greater length tonight." Satsuki then stood and departed.

* * *

Mason wandered the halls aimlessly, lost in thought. They were learning more about him, figuring out ways to put him down when the time came. He was naïve to think that they were doing this out of his benefit. From the beginning, it was about how they would neutralise him. Simply tricking him into thinking they would help him understand and control his curse.

 _No. Hang on._  Mason thudded his head against the wall.

Surely their intentions didn't involve just studying him like some specimen, right? He wasn't just some prisoner, waiting for his death sentence, was he? They gave him free roam around the mansion, no form of tracking to keep tabs on him. They were even trying to teach him how to use his curse more effectively.

Mason clung to the positive thoughts as he decided to head to bed, knowing that he'd have to be up early to do more tests. He passed a door and noticed a light pouring through from underneath. He frowned and then leaned against the door, pressing his ear against it. He could hear voices from the other side. Faint, but still audible.

"What do you mean he almost killed Satsuki?!" it sounded like Nonon. She was furious.

"Her heart stopped for about ten seconds. We're unsure if this attack has caused a similar outcome in the past, or if this is the result of repeated use that has caused strain on her heart." Inumuta's voice.

"Then why are you guys going to let him keep doing it?!" Uzu's voice this time.

"We're not. The tests end tomorrow. We'll start him on training." Satsuki spoke calmly.

"Training? You mean you want to make him even more dangerous than he already is?" Uzu again.

"He could be a valuable asset. Besides, we've tested the Anaesthetic Acupunctural Needles from Nudist Beach. They can be used to put him down."

Mason clenched his fist as anger swept through him.

"At least we have something we can control him with." Gamagori spoke.

"Yes. Especially if he decides to go rogue." Inumuta added.

"So once we're done with this Life Fiber business, what will we do about him?" Uzu again.

There was a pause, Mason frowned and tried to focus his hearing in case they had lowered their voices.

"We'll dispose of him."

Mason's eyes widened at her words. He pulled away from the door, unable to listen any further. His heart was pounding, and he felt his blood boiling.

_I knew it!_

Mason made sure he was silent as he returned to his room and slammed a fist into the pillow on his bed, imagining it was Satsuki's face. Shutting the door with more force than he intended, he threw himself into bed and thought long and hard.

He could try and escape tonight, head to wherever they kept the vehicles perhaps? He would just have to find the key, but, he didn't know the first thing about driving. He was more liable to save them the effort and kill himself. Going on foot wouldn't work either, as they'd most likely track him down, and it was quite a distance to Konru. Then again, they would expect him to go there, he had nowhere else to hide after all…

After some time, he came to a decision. He would play along for now, receive their training, and then use it to help him escape. Somehow, he would get away and evade them. He wasn't sure how, but he knew when the time came, it would present itself. So long as they believed he wasn't aware of their plan he could be patient. Mason slowly exhaled, fighting off the anger he felt inside as he tried to sleep.

* * *

"We'll dispose of him." Satsuki spoke nonchalantly. Then after a beat, "We can hand him off to Nudist Beach. I'm sure Mikisugi can find a use for him."

"For a moment I thought you were suggesting we kill him." Nonon said jokingly.

"Of course not. But we can't let him run rampant, either." Satsuki turned her attention to Inumuta. "How goes our plans for infiltrating Century Security?"

"We're still looking at the building's infrastructure, determining likely places they would be holding the Life Fibers."

"What can we expect in the way of defenses?" Uzu asked.

"Plenty. The building has about as much security as the entire city. Though most of it requires power, which Lady Satsuki and I have been devising a workaround."

"Care to tell us about it?" Nonon interjected.

"It's only a rough idea right now. But we think we can transform Mason's electrical charge into a form of EMP. His attacks don't work on non-living objects, but we're building a device that might be able to bypass that limitation. In short, he's our ticket in."

"And if it doesn't work?" Uzu said doubtfully.

"I'm rigging some EMP devices, just in case."

"Once inside, we'll split up into pairs and search wherever we believe they've stored the Life Fibers." Satsuki continued.

"I can go alone. I'm more than competent." Uzu smirked.

"No. Nonon will be going with you."

"So who will accompany you then, Lady Satsuki?" Nonon frowned quizzically.

"Mason will." They all stared in shock at Satsuki, who remained stone-faced.

"What?!" Uzu stood up suddenly.

"He will be an asset to this operation. Providing both entry into the building and as an extra set of hands. The more help we get, the easier this will be." Satsuki spoke calmly as ever.

"He's more likely to be a liability!" Uzu argued.

"Yeah. I doubt he would be able to keep up with us. From what Inumuta's been telling us, he's a complete pushover." Nonon added.

"That is no way to talk about our guest." Gamagori spoke up.

Both Uzu and Nonon gave him looks.

"That's true. Hence we provide training to help him keep up." Satsuki sounded confident.

"There isn't a lot of time to give him the training needed to get to our level." Uzu commented.

"He doesn't need to be on our level. He simply needs to be ready for the mission. If nothing else, his curse gives him a very hefty advantage." Satsuki waited for a snarky response but didn't get one.

Uzu and Nonon went quiet, while the former slumped back into his chair.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let the walking meat shield accompany you, Lady Satsuki." Nonon scoffed.

"We should expect to be ready within four days' time. By then, everything will be ready to commence." Inumuta said.

"Good. Then it's settled." Satsuki stood up from her seat, followed by the others. "In four days' time, we will commence our raid on Century Security."

 


	13. Raid Of The Century

The next day, Mason warily made his way down to the training room, where Satsuki, Inumuta and Shiro were already waiting on him. His view of them had changed drastically, and the way they stared made him suspicious of what they were thinking.

"Mason, we've decided to curb further tests for the time being." Satsuki spoke.

Mason pretended to be surprised. "Really? I figured you wanted to learn more about my flaws."

Satsuki narrowed her eyes slightly, catching something off in his voice. She chose to ignore it.

"You'll be joining the elite four and I in our mission to gather the Life Fibers from Century Security. There isn't a lot of time for extensive training, but we intend on teaching you what will be necessary to succeed."

Teach me enough to be useful, but not enough that I will stand a chance against you. Clever.

"I see." Mason nodded.

Satsuki had expected him to be surprised to hear that he would be contributing to their mission.

"What are we waiting for?" Mason frowned, looking around at all three of them.

"Gamagori. He will be training you today. Tomorrow it will be Jakuzure, and the day after, Sanageyama. The day before the mission, I will personally take part in finalising your training. Inumuta will be monitoring you to ensure that you don't overextend yourself. I should warn you that none of us will be particularly merciful."

As Satsuki mentioned this last part, Gamagori emerged from the staircase and crossed his arms.

"I shall leave it to you, Gamagori." Satsuki strode up the steps and left them alone.

"Lady Satsuki expects you to be ready in four days' time. I, Ira Gamagori, intend on getting you prepared in time! NOW GET MOVING!"

Without further hesitation, the two of them entered the training room. Moments passed with Mason getting himself thrown around and beaten down, with little chance to retaliate. For such a big man, Gamagori moved with incredible speed, hitting even harder with his immense strength. It didn't feel like he was training him so much as using him as a living punching bag to train on for himself. Eventually Inumuta warned Gamagori that Mason was reaching the pain limit, and the attacks stopped.

Now that he was powered up as much as possible, Gamagori began showing him how he was striking with such speed and precision. Using his own weight to launch punches and break an opponent's defences. Hours passed and Mason was picking up on a lot of the techniques that Gamagori was showing him, but he felt like the older man was holding back on him. Before long, the day was over and the two of them left the training room.

Mason heard a knock on his door, finding Satsuki holding a handful of the acupuncture needles. She explained that in order to prevent him from accidentally surpassing his pain limitation, they would use the needles to remove some of the charge. Similarly, in training sessions, if he were to reach the limit, they would use the needles to bring him back to acceptable levels. Although she implied that it was solely for his benefit, he had the feeling they were doing it so that he couldn't overpower them.

The next few days dragged on, with Nonon showing Mason self-defence, dodging and evading attacks more efficiently. Inumuta had to calm her multiple times when she got frustrated that Mason wasn't catching on as fast as she expected. The day after, Uzu taught Mason how to launch his attacks with more power and how to not open himself up to counter attacks. One of these techniques resulted in Mason needing to be shot with needles when Uzu accidentally struck him harder than he meant to during a riposte.

On the final day before the raid, Satsuki herself tested Mason on all the things that he had learned. She would point out finer details that he needed to pick up on, correcting minor faults in his technique, and more. Overall, she taught him nothing more, simply helping him refine the Elite's teachings until she was satisfied that he was ready. Mason lay in bed, hands behind his head as he held a mental contest about his doubts of his 'allies'.

So far they had taught him a fair deal that would prove beneficial to him. On the other hand, they seemed to use the opportunity more for their own benefit, brushing up on their own skills. Furthermore, Mason felt that they were holding back certain things while teaching him. Not to mention they started using the acupuncture needles on him more routinely. He lectured himself for the umpteenth time that day to keep playing along until the first opportunity to escape presented itself.

* * *

The day of the raid had arrived. The Elite Four and Mason stood at attention before Satsuki. Behind her was a blueprint of the building that was used as the headquarters for Century Security. It was massive in scale, but several locations were circled in red marker.

"Inumuta has procured the detailed blueprint of the building, as you can all see here." Satsuki pointed with the pommel of Bakuzan. She then indicated the red circles. "Both Shiro and Inumuta have also identified potential sites where the Life Fibers may be contained. These locations are discreet and rarely used, perfect for keeping them hidden."

Mason looked down at the table that separated them all from Satsuki. There were several pieces of equipment strewn across it. A pair of green, red and black bladed weapons sat side by side, looking like three daggers all welded onto a thick metal circle. Another was a grey gauntlet, it looked like it would cover one's hand and arm, but a rectangular piece of metal lined the knuckles. Beyond that were six earpieces, small enough to be easily concealed.

"The plan is to disrupt the power in the building, which should remove a lot of obstacles, according to Inumuta's evaluation of the security." Satsuki looked to Inumuta who gave a brief nod.

"What about actual personnel? Reinforcements?" Uzu asked.

"We can expect a great deal of resistance, though we won't be facing anything that should pose a real threat. With communications down, reinforcements shouldn't be a concern, either. Although I will warn you, we aren't aware if they have utilised the Life Fibers at all, but it is possible." Satsuki warned.

"Ah. Hence the Tailor's daggers." Uzu indicated the green and black weapons.

"Yes. It is best to come prepared for any circumstance." Mason narrowed his eyes as Satsuki said this.

Right. Like preparing to stab me in the back when I least expect it.

"Mason." His attention riveted to Satsuki who was looking at him sternly. "Inumuta has developed a weapon for you to use on this mission."

Mason turned his attention to the gauntlet, wondering why they had bothered to arm him. Before Mason could ask, Inumuta had already begun explaining.

"It's designed to use the electrical charge in your body to act as an EMP. It should work, theoretically, though we won't know for sure until we try. Otherwise, I have taken the liberty to make a device that should knock out the power for thirty minutes."

"Looks like our meat shield is going to be useful after all." Nonon smirked teasingly.

"As Inumuta pointed out, should the gauntlet fail to work, we will have only thirty minutes to extract the Life Fibers and escape. Because of this, we will need to split up into groups of two in order to cover ground quickly. There are four areas to check, afterwards we will converge at the final area, here." Satsuki indicated a spot at the furthest level down.

"It is here that we believe they are receiving the Life Fiber shipments, and so it can also provide our getaway. Hence, it will be called the escape route. Any questions?" Satsuki waited patiently, though none of the Elite Four spoke.

"What do we do about resistance? Use of lethal force or something?" Mason asked nervously.

"Feel free to deal with them as you see fit, but the main objective is to collect the Life Fibers." Satsuki stated plainly. Mason nodded and then kept his mouth shut.

"If that's all, then perhaps we should get moving?" Uzu prompted.

"Very well. Sanageyama and Jakuzure, you two will search here." Satsuki pointed at the red circle to the far left on the blueprint.

"Gamagori, Inumuta, you will search here." She indicated the far right and then turned her attention to Mason.

"You and I will be searching the last place, Mason." He gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"Gamagori, if you would kindly get the car please." Satsuki asked.

"Yes, Lady Satsuki." Gamagori marched out of the room.

"The rest of you, make your last minute preparations and meet outside." Satsuki turned and left the room after Gamagori.

"Well, I'm already as equipped as I need to be." Uzu hefted his bamboo sword onto his shoulder.

Nonon walked over to the table and picked up both of the Tailor's daggers. "That wooden stick won't be much use if they're using Goku uniforms like Lady Satsuki suspects."

"It's bamboo!" Uzu said defensively.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say, monkey." Nonon gave him a cheeky grin.

Mason brushed his fingers over the gauntlet, inspecting it closely. The entire thing was metal and he predicted it would extend up to his elbow. On the underside of the wrist there was a yellow dial fixed to a pin. Turning it over, he found the fingers were exposed with only several straps to keep them on. The very tip of the pointer and middle finger were missing the curved metal protection the others featured, though he could guess why. The palm also lacked any covering, instead, a metal bar extended transversely across, acting as a sort of grip.

Mason turned suddenly when he noticed Inumuta looking over his shoulder at the gauntlet.

"I imagine you'd like an explanation of how that works." Inumuta hinted.

Mason held it aloft and prompted him to continue. "Sure."

"Firstly, put it on."

Mason slipped his hand into the gauntlet, the metal sat comfortably but snug. He could clench his fingers around the grip, and the metal pieces on his fingers moved fluidly, but were held tightly by the straps.

"You've probably noticed the pin at the wrist." Mason turned his hand to show it to them both. The pin was currently about a centimetre away from the gauntlet, kept in place by a cylindrical metal rod that went into the wrist.

"What does it do?"

"If you turn it, the pin will retract into the gauntlet and cause a spike to dig into your wrist. Don't worry, it's positioned not stab into anything important, but it will cause you some discomfort. Based on the principle that you are able to strengthen yourself through indirect self-harm, it should work to keep you powered up."

Mason raised an eyebrow as Inumuta described the gauntlets function. In his mind, the gauntlet was suddenly less than ideal, acting as a torture device to keep him strong. Mason then clenched his fist to show the rectangular piece with three evenly spaced holes punched into it.

"That will be involved in the plan to use your power as an EMP. With the pin injected into your arm, you should be able to turn it again. This will cause another set of spikes to make direct contact with the nerves in your arm. You will then project the electrical charge through the gauntlet out of some spikes that will also protrude out." Inumuta tapped on various places around the gauntlet as he explained.

"To make sure that all of it is directed properly, I only made the spikes out of conductive metals. The rest of the gauntlet is incapable of electrical conduction. Though unfortunately for you, I couldn't implement anything to protect you from the building's own power grid somehow electrocuting you. But you should be fine."

The more Mason heard, the less inclined he was to continue wearing the gauntlet. So long as he didn't touch the pin, he would be fine. But eventually he would need to, regardless of his reluctance to use it.

Minutes later they had assembled at the front of the mansion where Gamagori had brought up the vehicle they would be using. A white sedan with tinted windows, presumably for the sake of hiding them from sight. Gamagori sat in the driver's seat, with Satsuki by his side, the back had just enough space to squeeze in four more people. Mason was pressed against the door with one of Nonon's daggers uncomfortably pressing into his side.

They drove for some time around the city until they approached the Century Security skyscraper. Gamagori did a lap around the building, locating the entrance before he started to search for an adequate parking space. It took ten minutes, but eventually they found a parking lot and they all piled out of the car.

"The sign says we can park here for up to three hours." Gamagori said slightly concerned.

"Relax. I doubt we'll be an hour. Just go in, grab the Life Fibers, and we can come back to pick up the car." Uzu said with high spirits.

Gamagori hummed, looking at his car and then walking away to follow the others. "I better not get a ticket…"

The party advanced on the towering fortress, looking very odd in the way they were equipped as they walked through the city. Luckily there were relatively few people about, let alone any patrolling guards. Upon reaching the front of the building they found the doors were sealed, with a complex keypad being the only way to gain entry. Inumuta took off the panel covering the internal components and beckoned Mason closer.

"It's time, Mason. Use the gauntlet to interface with the circuitry. It should gain us access."

Mason clenched the gauntlet's grip tightly and touched the pin's dial, bracing himself as he twisted it clockwise. The pin rotated ninety degrees before it violently snapped into his wrist, making him gasp in pain as a pencil sized spike buried itself into his arm. He gripped the pin again and twisted it further, howling as three needles dug into his skin, injecting into the nerves of his arm. It was difficult for him to move his arm, but he managed to stick the projecting spikes into the keypad's circuits.

As soon as they connected, the keypad sparked and then sizzled before exploding in Mason's face. The door slid open to reveal pitch blackness with several panicked voices coming from inside. Mason turned back the pin and felt the spikes retract from his nerves, but left the pin buried into the gauntlets wrist. They all dashed inside and found themselves in a lobby, red lights flashed to life and an alarm tone sounded off around them.

In front of them was a reception desk with a startled receptionist sat behind it. To the right was a pair of elevators, and a hallway continued straight ahead just to the right of the desk. The receptionist had seen their shady activities through an unseen overhead camera and called for security moments ago, who conveniently appeared from the hallway. The second he saw them he drew his pistol and raised it.

Having seen his body tense and minor muscle movements, Sanageyama pounced into action. Within the few short seconds the guard took to draw his pistol, Uzu had closed in and flicked his bamboo sword upwards. The weapon struck the unsuspecting guard's hands and made him throw the gun into the air. A quick strike to the stomach with the point of his sword followed by a winding side strike to the face put the guard on the ground. A second later, his pistol landed too.

This display confirmed Mason's theory that they had most certainly held back on him. Now he was rather grateful that they had. His thoughts were disrupted when Satsuki ushered them forward, taking lead as they followed after her down the hallway. At the very end the hall split into two, with the right leading to a door that had 'Emergency Staircase' above it.

Proceeding through the door, they found themselves standing in a large shaft on a landing. Extending both up and down was a spiralling, meter-wide staircase hugging the walls, with only a metal safety rail preventing someone from falling. They began to descend down to the lower levels. At certain intervals, two of their party would split off and head out the exit to the stairwell. Finally, it was just Mason and Satsuki, who arrived at the very bottom of the staircase.

"Here we go," Satsuki announced.

* * *

Gamagori and Inumuta charged down a hall, turning corners as Inumuta called them out. He had a display of the map on his arm, because of this he intentionally volunteered to take the most complicated route. They ran into a checkpoint, cut off by a door that was sealed tight, and without power there was no easy way of opening it. Gamagori went about prying it open while Inumuta found a power transformer and planted the EMP device.

"Is that really necessary?" Gamagori asked, feeling the door slowly sliding into its recess.

"We don't know how long Mason's EMP will last, so at least we'll have a backup."

Gamagori threw the door open as Inumuta finished wiring the device into the transformer's circuitry. They continued down and reached the room that Inumuta believed the Life Fibers might have been stored in. There was a keypad linked to the door that would normally get them in, but with the power shorted, they had to resort to Gamagori busting it open. They both entered to begin the search, but the place was completely empty.

The room featured bare concrete flooring and walls, without a single light fixture to illuminate the darkness that pervaded the barren space. The only light they had was the red flashing LED's from the hall. It was hinted that the room might have been used for storage due the vastness of available space.

"Huh. It doesn't look like they're here." Inumuta frowned.

"Gotcha." There was a voice from behind them and both were flung forward, further into the room.

They got up and looked at their attackers. There were two of them, wearing some kind of armour with full face helmets. Adorning their helmets were Roman-like crests that went longitudinally from the top of the helmet to the back of their heads. Interestingly, the crest held a single spiked piece of metal projecting out in the center. In their hands they were holding large machine guns.

"Who the hell are they?" Gamagori spoke aloud.

"We are Centurion Enforcers. You had best surrender if you want to leave in one piece." The pair of them raised their weapons.

* * *

Nonon and Uzu made their way towards the objective, having already passed their own checkpoint which was conveniently open. They turned a corner and came to a halt, finding their approach cut off by a group of security. There were four of them, each armed with a pistol and were standing at the opposite end of the hall. One of them was wearing some kind of armour.

"Hey! Who are you?" One of the guards shouted.

Neither of them spoke when the guards raised their weapons to take aim. They darted back around the corner as the bullets started flying in their direction.

"After them!" The guardsmen charged down the hall.

"You ready Jakuzure?" Uzu readied his sword.

"I should be asking you that, monkey." Jakuzure brought the Tailor's daggers up in front of her.

The guards rounded the corner as one took a bamboo sword to the face. He flipped backwards and landed on his back, one of his friends trampling over him and losing his own footing in the process. Nonon delivered a quick uppercut that threw the soldier into the wall, and followed with a flying kick into the side of his head. The soldier with the armour had stopped short of the corridor, and when Nonon appeared he pulled the trigger on his weapon.

Uzu used the tip of his sword to jab the fourth soldier in the chest, momentarily stunning him. He followed by grabbing the soldier by the collar and dragged him closer, thrusting his knee up to meet the guards face. There were gunshots and a cry of surprise. Uzu looked up to see Nonon clutching her arm and recoiling backwards. He charged forward and raised his sword, deflecting any bullets coming his way. Uzu closed the gap, only to feel something land on his shoulders and vault off him.

Nonon lunged at the guard, yelling angrily as she slashed at him with the daggers. The guard yelled in surprise as his uniform was shredded easily by them. Finally, he was thrown back when Nonon kicked him in the face.

"Jakuzure! Are you alright?" Uzu called after her.

"I'm fine. They're just using stun rounds." She rubbed her arm that had been hit. "Let's keep going."

They pressed forward after having dispatched the guards. There was no further incident as they reached the room that supposedly contained the Life Fibers. Curiously, the door was already open. Nonon stepped in and yelped as a large hand grabbed her and threw her further inside. Uzu attempted to chase after her, but the same hand dragged the door shut.

Nonon groaned as she looked up at her attacker. They wore something similar to that of the soldier they had run into earlier. However, several key differences set them apart and gave the impression that this was a much more fearsome opponent.

The armour looked bulky and incredibly heavy, at least twice the size of the other guard. On top of this, Nonon guessed that he was at least two meters tall, with a long red cape flowing down to mid-thigh level. Another, more alarming feature, was that instead of a pistol, this guard was carrying a heavy machine gun.

"I'll make this quick and painless. Promise." The giant armoured figure raised his gun up, aiming it at Nonon.

* * *

Satsuki and Mason raced down their hall, they had the most difficult time so far getting to their area. Satsuki had intentionally taken the most dangerous route for herself, knowing that her Bakuzan gave her an edge over the others. However, she didn't expect to run into so many groups of four or five soldiers every time they turned a corner. It was starting to take a while for them to progress, almost always ending up with Mason shielding her from the stun rounds they were employing.

Satsuki would cut each group down with her Bakuzan, although she felt something very familiar about it all. Not to mention there was something very odd about the armour several soldiers were wearing. Eventually, they arrived at their designated area. The door resisted as they both strained to pry it open, until finally they entered the room.

"Crap. Nothing here." Mason voiced aloud.

"I knew it." Satsuki's voice sounded grim.

"What is it?" Mason turned to face her suddenly.

"They've gone and used the Life Fibers to make the armour for all of those guards we've been running into."

"How can you tell? It just looks like some goofy armour they went and put together for aesthetic sake."

"I assure you, it is far from aesthetic."

Mason cringed slightly as his earpiece crackled to life. There was deafening gunfire on the other side.

"Lady Satsuki! We're in trouble!" Inumuta's voice went through. "Gamagori is holding them back for now, but they're using Goku uniforms!"

"I knew it. Get out of there, Inumuta. Head for the escape route."

"Lady Satsuki!" It was Uzu this time. "Jakuzure's hurt! We're headed for the escape point! There were no Life Fibers in our room!"

"We'll meet you there, Sanageyama." Satsuki was beginning to sound a little more panicked.

"This whole thing sounds like one big trap!" Mason's breathing picked up as he paced back towards the door.

"Let's go. We'll meet the others and leave." Satsuki turned to follow him out.

Mason put a foot out the door and the entire hall lit up with gunfire. He quickly retreated back as another group of guards lined up outside the door.

"Surrender now!" One of them called through.

Satsuki took her place on the other side of the door and signalled for Mason to repeat their strategy that had got them through thus far. Mason placed his arms over his face and charged out, grunting as the stun rounds hit him full pelt. Satsuki followed him out, using him as a shield. Only once Mason fell to one knee did she vault over him and use Bakuzan to cut their weapons to ribbons. Mason then got up and started battering any soldier Satsuki hadn't dealt with to heal himself.

After that group was felled, they headed back down the path they used to get there. Suddenly, Satsuki caught Mason before he could move further. He was about to question why, but he noticed she was staring intensely at something in the distance. He followed her gaze and caught a glimpse through the darkness. It was another armoured soldier, standing casually a few meters away in the middle of the hall. Satsuki raised her sword and the soldier raised his rifle.

"End of the line, kids." The man said with delight.


	14. Jarret Galda

With the astounding success of the first Centurion armour, mass production of these uniforms had commenced, at Janus' request. The next day, they went and tested a Tier Two Centurion armour, their Tier system based on the same principle as the 'Star' ranking of Goku uniforms. Janus had been impressed at this armours ability to outperform the Tier One in every way possible. She requested more of them to be manufactured, though in fewer quantity.

The head scientist, Dr. Tynan, then put forth a Tier Three armour for them to trial the same afternoon. They spent two days searching for a candidate who might have been capable of wearing the uniform. For unknown reasons, it either ejected them or malfunctioned in such a way that it was hazardous to continue wearing. Janus was about to cease further testing, concerned that someone might end up being severely injured, or worse. Then, Jarret put forth a candidate of his own.

Gale was older than Jarret, grey hairs mingling with his short black hair and beard. Despite his age, his eyes were sharp as he examined the Tier Three Centurion armour.

"You want me to wear  _this_?" Gale peered curiously at them both.

"I want to see if you can." Janus said deadpanned. He nodded, stone faced.

"Consider it done, ma'am."

He did not disappoint.

Janus watched him go through every trial with flying colours. He made the armour look incredibly easy to use, but more importantly, he could fully utilise the armours capabilities. Janus immediately requested a Tier Four Centurion armour be made, which Dr. Tynan argued fiercely that it would be near impossible to control, based on Ragyo's information. However, Janus eventually convinced the man to fulfil her request, and a day later the armour was being put through the trials.

Janus was disappointed that Ragyo and Dr. Tynan were, so far, correct. All candidates, including Gale, were unable to use the armour. She had been hopeful that she could succeed where Ragyo failed, to have someone strong enough to wield the equivalent of a Four-Star Goku uniform. She had all but given up as she watched the last candidate put the armour on to attempt the trials.

Similarly to those before her, the armour grew wild and overpowered her. Within seconds of putting on the armour, she grew into a hulking behemoth that lost all control. The room vented liquid nitrogen directly onto her, flash freezing the armour in place as the recovery teams extracted her. Janus sighed and put a hand over her forehead. It seemed that Tier Three would be the limit for the Centurion armour series.

She looked at a small display on the console before her. Each Tier of armour stood in order from left to right, holographic displays of what they looked like powered up. Each one was similar in appearance, although there were tell-tale signs that gave each one away. Dr. Tynan had failed to explain why the armours each had their own distinctive appearance, but did mention that it was helpful in identifying their troops with a quick glance. Janus couldn't disagree with this, and so accepted that the inconsistencies did have a benefit.

Tier One, designated 'Gladiator', was the baseline, and showed no defining features. Tier Two, displayed slightly thicker armour and the addition of a crest that adorned the top of the helmet. Finally, there was the Tier Three armour, which was twice the size of the others combined, and increased the wearer's height. It also abandoned the crest in favour of a cape, for whatever reason that the armour had decided was a good addition to have. Jarret had wittily named this armour 'Zealot' due to the extreme loyalty of those who could wear them.

A light cough caught her attention as she slowly looked behind her toward Jarret.

"Ma'am. If I may, I would like to try putting on the uniform myself." He spoke quietly.

Janus frowned. "I don't need someone else to risk their neck putting on that  _thing_." She tilted her head in the direction of the still-frozen armour.

"I would still like to try. With your permission." Jarret insisted. Janus knew he didn't insist unless he was positively certain.

After a long moment, Janus sighed. "Very well. But the second something looks like it's going wrong, I'm freezing it and getting you out."

"Of course." Jarret smirked, making his way down into the testing room.

Jarret stood before the seemingly harmless uniform, while Janus watched with apprehension. Jarret took hold of the uniform and put it on, stepping onto the platform that was the safeguard for containing the armour if he were to lose control. As soon as he was ready, he nodded in affirmation to the scientists in the other room and began the transformation process.

The uniform bulged, metal-like pieces materialising out of thin air. Within seconds he was clad in a heavy looking suit of armour. He experimentally lifted his arms first, clenching his fists, waiting for the armour to do something beyond his control. He could feel all around him how the armour was almost attempting to burst out into something monstrous, but he remained steadfast.

"Is everything alright, Jarret?" Janus spoke through the intercom.

Jarret nodded, "Begin first trial."

There was a loud groaning sound, a hole in the wall opening up to reveal a large gun barrel. It took aim, and with a deafening  ***BOOM!***  the gun fired. There was a follow up explosion, a show of flames and shrapnel erupting to one side of the room. The barrel had taken aim at Jarret, and as soon as it had shot, Jarret raised his arm and deflected the round away.

Jarret could feel as the armour constantly moved of its own accord, attempting to inhibit his movement. Regardless, he managed to overpower it and force it to his will. He ordered for the next few rounds of tests to commence. Janus watched with amazement as Jarret blazed through every single test faster than any other Centurion had done so far.

The armour was starting to conform to his will, and in doing so it offered him minor assistance. He could only assume, but it seemed that the Tier Four armour had a consciousness, as weak as it was, that allowed it to think and make decisions. This led him to theorise that the Tier Three uniforms and below were all somewhat similar, each with a form of awareness, but with limited capability to resist their wearer. At least, if the person was skilled enough to wear the uniform in the first place.

As the last test finished, Jarret could tell that the uniform was less reluctant to provide him support. Experimentally, he relaxed, waiting to see how his armour would react. There was no response, and Jarret wondered mentally if the armour had been tamed, or willingly allowed itself to be worn by him.

"Mr. Galda. Is everything alright?" Dr. Tynan called through.

"Everything is fine, Doctor." Jarret nodded appreciatively.

 _Of course he would be the one that can do the impossible._ Janus couldn't help but think to herself.

She noted that Jarret's armour had deviated from the trend they had been seeing in the Centurion armours thus far. Each time the armour had advanced, the plating got thicker and increased the height of the wearer. Furthermore, Enforcer's had an ornamental crest, while Zealots adorned capes. Jarret's armour had the appearance of an Enforcer's while lacking a crest like a Gladiator's. The only thing that was symbolically unique was the fact that so far every visor was pitch black, but Jarret's was a bright gold.

She couldn't tell why or how, but she had immediately thought of a name for the man in his shining new armour.

 _Champion._  She thought.  _My Champion._

Her thoughts were disturbed when the lights in the observatory and testing rooms went out. After a few moments, the emergency lighting turned on and alarms began blaring. The communications in the room exploded with excited voices.

"Ma'am, there's been a blackout. There are intruders in the lobby." A female voice called through.

Janus narrowed her eyes, a blackout meant they couldn't lock the building down effectively, and majority of the security systems relied on power. The back-up generators could only supply power to the emergency lights, warning tones and communications. Her first conclusion to draw was that this was an expertly planned attack, and that they most likely knew what they wanted and how to get it.

"I'm sending my Centurions to deal with it. Standby." Janus replied crisply.

Once the communicator shut off, she opened up a line to the frequency that let her speak to all the available Centurions on duty.

"This is Janus. Whoever can get to the secure storage rooms, hide the cargo inside them. Underneath the keypads there is a hidden panel, remove it and push the button that you see. Make sure to replace the panel afterwards, then stay put and watch for intruders. Intercept and detain them."

"Understood, ma'am!" They replied.

"Ma'am, I've got eyes on the intruders." Another voice spoke in a hushed tone through to her.

"Show me." Janus turned to the console in front of her and put aside the images of all the armour types.

An image melded onto the console, she could tell that this was coming from the reception desk. Janus frowned when she saw a bunch of teenagers all standing about in the lobby. They looked of varying ages, but were barely adults. One of the girls spoke, but was drowned out by the alarms. They then made off out of sight. She had no way of monitoring them besides having someone follow them around, but she assumed they were headed for the Life Fiber stores.

It was not paranoia then that had driven Janus to take the extra step in securing the Life Fibers safety, simply precaution. The rooms she had placed them in had an interchangeable replacement that would make the room appear empty if someone were to walk in. This function worked by using a metal container to replace the room in the first place, which could be easily lifted into an empty space in the ceiling, removing all contents and leaving the place barren.

"Centurions. Swap all ammunition from live to stun. I want the intruders captured or repelled." Janus advised them all, receiving a confirmatory response.

"Shall I help repel the attackers?" Jarret called to her.

This wasn't something that she could dissuade him from doing. "Very well. If you think they need it."

"Mr. Galda, Sir, the power is out and the doors won't open. It's a safety feature. That room is completely sealed and there is no way out." Dr. Tynan called through to him.

"Then I'll make myself an exit." Jarret shrugged, walking up to one of the walls.

"I can assure you that would be pointless. My calculations predict that a Tier Four Centurion would need a little over eight hours to break through those walls."

"Then I hope you were timing, Doctor." Janus said with a smirk.

"Why is that, ma'am?"

"Because he's already out."


	15. Escape

Gamagori launched himself between Inumuta and the two Enforcers, just in time as they opened fire. The stun rounds battered against the metal underlay that Gamagori wore beneath his clothes, protecting him for the most part.

"Keep them busy, Gamagori. I'm going to inform Lady Satsuki of our situation."

"No problem." Gamagori grunted.

The Enforcers split up, strafing to either side to gain sight on Inumuta, forcing Gamagori to make a move. He charged forward, picking up one soldier and throwing him into his friend, causing them both to collide with the wall, leaving an indentation.

One of the Enforcers remained standing and took aim at Gamagori's head, pulling the trigger twice. Gamagori dropped down, narrowly avoiding the shots as he raised a defensive hand over his face while closing in. The other soldier got back on his feet and took advantage of Gamagori's hampered vision, slamming the butt of his gun into Gamagori's chest. The blow sent him reeling backwards, then crashing to the ground as the soldier followed with a shoulder charge.

"Such strength… It must be-!" Inumuta's eyes widened as he called into Satsuki's earpiece.

"Your show of strength is admirable. But you cannot withstand this!" Gamagori sent a haymaker at the closest Enforcer.

The Enforcer caught hold of Gamagori's hand and stopped it dead in its tracks. He twisted his arm violently, making Gamagori grunt as he struggled to pull away. With Gamagori distracted, the other soldier focused his attention on Inumuta, who had no available cover. Pulling the trigger, he watched as the bullet whizzed through his target's head and struck the wall behind him. Frowning in confusion, he was taken by surprise when something knocked his gun out of his hands into the air.

During Gamagori's scuffle with the Enforcers, Inumuta had taken the time to drop one of his decoys and cloaked himself. A swift high kick disarmed the unsuspecting Enforcer, and a follow up strike to the side of the head stunned him. Catching his gun on the way down, Inumuta swung the butt of it into the Enforcer's visor, making him fall onto his back, a small crack visible where he had struck. Looking in Gamagori's direction, he could see things starting to become dire for his friend.

The Enforcer landed a deft kick to the back of Gamagori's knee, forcing him to kneel. He proceeded to drag his arm around to his back, but remaining out of reach from Gamagori's free hand. Wielding the machine gun in one hand, he pressed the barrel to his victims head. He got no further before a stray gun flew in from the side and slammed into his helmet. Jarred from the glancing blow, the Enforcer's grip on Gamagori's hand wavered, allowing him to wrench it free.

Pushing off with his bent leg, Gamagori spun on the other, delivering a winding punch into the Enforcer's midsection. Despite the armour, he still bent double. Following this, Gamagori picked him up and threw him into the wall furthest from the door. The Enforcer went airborne and hit halfway up wall with his back, crashing to the floor on his side.

While both Enforcers were recovering, Inumuta pressed a button on his wrist and he materialised next to Gamagori.

"Good going, Inumuta." Gamagori praised.

"Let's not stick around for round two. Shall we?" He inclined his head toward the door.

Inumuta needed to say no more as the Enforcer's began to stir. The one furthest away reached for his sidearm, drawing and taking aim. The other scrambled for his allies machine gun, which had clattered to the ground within arm's reach. The pair fled out the door, only to be followed by the sound of a pistol going off several times, bullets striking the wall just outside the doorway. They sprinted down the hall, narrowly avoiding the hail of bullets that streaked after them.

Both Enforcers bounced back onto their feet, with the furthest snatching up the remaining machine gun in one hand. They rushed out and stood beside one another, catching sight of their opponent's backs. While one held his machine gun steady in both hands, the other dual wielded his pistol and machine gun. Simultaneously they pulled their triggers, neither of them struggling to control their shots. They stopped when their targets vanished. Cursing, they broke into a sprint after them.

* * *

Nonon sprung up and charged the brute with alarming speed. The Zealot, however, easily evaded her series of quick slashes. She was surprised how quickly he could move in such terribly big armour. Her momentary pause gave him the edge as he connected his shin into her stomach and kicked her back. With his opponent on the ground and against the wall, he raised his massive gun, aiming at her head.

Uzu stood helplessly outside, gripping the edge of the door and straining to drag it across. It was moving slowly, so he resorted to jamming his sword into the gap he made and tried to prise it open from there. At that exact moment, the guards they had fought earlier appeared at the far end of the corridor. With a growl of frustration, Uzu pulled his sword free and ran headlong into the gunfire.

Nonon closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as she turned away, expecting to be shot. The bullet smacked into the wall mere millimetres away from her face, clinking to the floor. She opened her eyes and looked up in surprise, staring down the terrifying barrel. He lowered his weapon slightly.

"I would greatly appreciate your surrender. Like I said, quick and painless." He spoke in a hushed tone.

Nonon grinned wide. "I'm not some helpless little girl you know. You'll regret not taking that shot."

"Your choice." The barrel raised menacingly to meet her again.

Nonon leapt up and sprinted around him in a wide arc, being closely chased by a steady stream of bullets. The entire time she had to contort her body like she was doing some freakish dance just to avoid his shots. She could tell they were alarmingly close, hearing them zip past, if they didn't graze her. On more than one occasion he would anticipate her position and aim in front of her, forcing her to double back. Worst of all, he would suddenly dart into her path and fire as she continued running. She had to fall to the floor just to avoid being hit and then scramble to her feet, headed in the opposite direction.

Uzu's sword threw two weapons out of their owner's grips. He brought it down on one's head, and hoisted the other in front of him as a shield when his friends open fired. They stopped immediately, letting Uzu throw him at one of the shooters and then reached out with his sword to hit the other in the chest and face. The first soldier to go down recovered, throwing a punch past Uzu who dodged easily and kneed him in the gut, rolling him off to the side.

The fourth guard had shoved the unfortunate shield off himself and was firing while prone on the floor. Uzu's sword landed square on his weapon, dragging it down and then out of his grip. From there, each soldier was attempting to fight him unarmed, and with some effort, Uzu beat them down one by one. Even unarmed, each of them put up a decent fight, but the skill Uzu exhibited allowed him to finish the job in just over a minute.

"There. Now that's done, I wonder how Jakuzure is-" He was cut off when he heard her muffled cry.

At some point the Zealot had stopped keeping track of Nonon's position, which she noticed when she heard the magazine drop from his gun onto the ground. Figuring it was her chance, she got behind him and lunged forward, intent on shredding his armour to pieces. She went wide-eyed as the soldier abruptly side-stepped and swung his gun at her. Having just leapt off the ground, she couldn't halt herself, simply letting momentum carry her into the impending pain.

She screeched as she slammed face first into the butt of the gun, clotheslining her, and she continued to slide along the floor on her back. She lay on the ground, groaning as she looked up at the armoured behemoth, hearing his thunderous footsteps closing in. He stood above her, having reloaded his weapon as he went, and aimed it down at her. She desperately lashed out, but he casually shot the metal shackle around her wrist. The sheer force of the shot threw her hand back down, letting him step onto the attached Tailor's dagger.

There was a glass-like  ***CRUNCH***  as the weapon fractured into useless shards. The Zealot took aim again and his finger tugged the trigger.

"Don't tell her, but I'm taking a page out of Matoi's book for this one!"

The Zealot had no time to react when Uzu jumped up onto his back and pulled his bandanna over the helmet's visor. He swiftly did a knot and then shoved him aside using his sword. The Zealot grabbed at the blindfold but he couldn't grasp it properly.

"Come on, let's get out of here Jakuzure!" Uzu hoisted the girl up to her feet.

The Zealot lashed out with his gun, going for a wide arc that would have hit them both had Uzu not raised his sword in time. There was a sickening  ***CRACK*** as the bamboo splintered, though it held as the two men engaged in a battle of strength, and Uzu was losing quickly. Without warning, the Zealot reached out and grabbed his sword, wrenching it from Uzu's grip and snapping it in two by simply clenching his fist. He then blindly fired into the space in front of him.

The Zealot fired with one hand while grasping at the back of his head with the other to remove the blindfold. It took a few seconds before he finally managed to rip the bandanna off his helmet, only to find the two intruders gone. All that was left was the shattered pieces of the Tailor's dagger and bamboo sword at his feet. He made for the door and rounded it just in time to catch sight of them disappear around the corner.

"Hmph." He tapped into his communicator, "This is Gale. I've successfully repelled attackers at storage area two."

"We could have taken him!" Nonon clawed at Uzu's shoulder trying to clamber over him.

"Remember what we're here for. We don't have time to waste fighting these guys." Nonon huffed and then glared at him.

"I can walk you know!" Nonon growled, her arms crossed as she lay cradled in Uzu's arms.

"I already called Satsuki and told her we're making our way to the escape point. We can't afford to have her and the others wait on you to catch up." Uzu retorted, and was met with a punch to the face.

"Wait on  _ME_?! We'll see about that, monkey!" With that, Nonon leapt and raced off, leaving Uzu to follow her.

* * *

On his way to intercepting the intruders, Jarret had broken into the armoury and retrieved a rifle, loading it with a magazine of stun rounds. He proceeded as fast as he could to make it in time, taking a very exhilarating shortcut on the way that resulted in some fractured concrete. It was fortunate that he had, as he just caught them escaping. They now stood at an impasse, staring one another down.

"If you lay your weapons down now, I'm sure my boss will forgive you all for this intrusion and let you off with only a warning." Jarret pointed the barrel of his gun to the floor.

The pair of them noted with unease how every specially armoured soldier they had faced up until now had black visors. The soldier they faced now had not only slightly thicker armour, but a gold visor.

"We don't have time for this." Satsuki charged forward.

In an instant, Jarret fired three shots, rapidly displacing his aim to randomise their flight paths. The strategy succeeded, as Satsuki dodged the first, but the other two rapidly struck her in the shoulder and side. It slowed her down, but didn't stop her. He let loose another five, she once again evaded the first, but the second and fourth shots struck her in the side and the third and fifth hit each of her legs.

With her momentum impeded, Satsuki sluggishly swung down at him. Jarret side-stepped the attack, blind firing to catch Satsuki in the knee with a couple stun rounds. The girl grunted and made for a side strike, though Jarret ducked under the blade. Pressing the barrel into her side, he pulled the trigger a few times as the rounds made point blank impacts. She let out a growl through clenched teeth and went to kick him in the stomach, but he had already shifted position.

Jarret fired off the last of his magazine into Satsuki's back, pausing when the gun clicked untimely.

 _Huh. Guess I should have packed more ammo,_  Jarret sighed.

Satsuki whirled around, arm fully extended in an attempt to reach him. He ducked under the vicious katana, advancing forward into close proximity to hit Satsuki square in the face with the side of his gun. The force made her stagger back, which he helped send her toppling by sweeping her legs with his own. He rose back up just in time to be shoved forward, almost throwing him on top of Satsuki.

Mason had used the pause in combat to take him by surprise, but Jarret recovered quickly. Twisting around violently, he swung his rifle and collided it into the side of the boy's face, making him collapse to the ground. Jarret was then forced to leap away as Satsuki lunged up off the ground in a flurry of swings and slashes. She pressed her momentum and cleaved wide arcs, never giving him time to recover as she forced him back.

After his initial surprise, Jarret began using his rifle to deflect her katana as it glanced off its side. However, regardless of how much he could keep this up, he was backpedalling slower than Satsuki was advancing. When she had closed the distance, Satsuki went for a straight lunge, which Jarret couldn't deflect as easily. So instead, he leaned back, watching as the blade reached out just over his face.

Reaching back with his free hand, he laid it flat on the ground, kicking off with both feet and connecting one with Satsuki's jaw and the other with her arm. He did a backflip, landing on his feet while sending Satsuki staggering backwards and almost disarming her. Massaging the underside of her jaw, Satsuki glared fearsomely at her opponent who showed no signs of exhaustion.

Mason groaned, one hand pressed to the side of his head as he felt hot blood rushing out of a gaping laceration. He looked up to see Satsuki, chest heaving for breath. She was starting to look tired, if not slightly shaken. Steeling her resolve, she gritted her teeth and sprinted at Jarret once again. Enough time had elapsed that Jarret knew Satsuki had been coming up with a new plan of attack.

Satsuki kept a respectable distance, stabbing forward with Bakuzan. Jarret was about to sidestep, though Satsuki closely examined which direction he was moving. She abandoned her initial attack and swung at him in the opposite direction. Bakuzan was closing the gap fast, as Jarret was also moving toward it. If he hadn't of expected her revised tactics, he might have been taken by surprise.

With blinding speed, Jarret thrust his rifle forward to catch the blade in its arc. There was a brief resistance, and then suddenly he was holding onto two halves of what was his gun.  _That_  surprised him.

 _That sword is sharp._  Jarret discarded the two pieces onto the floor.

Encouraged by her advantage, Satsuki drove forward, slashing but taking care not to overextend her assault. Jarret grimaced, dodging each stroke as he fell back, then stopped. Satsuki went for a diagonal cut, but she faltered when the blade suddenly snapped toward another direction, away from her target. She went for another swing, and yet the blade once again bounced harmlessly away. This time she had seen what had caused her blade to redirect the way it had.

Jarret saw the blade come his way, though this time he stood his ground. He hooked a punch as she swung, and his fist met the flat of the blade and deflected it. He repeated this when she swung again, with remarkable success. Satsuki began to swing at him with frightening speed, but Jarret held his ground and kept punching the blade away from himself. Satsuki only gained momentum and was speeding up, until Bakuzan was merely a blur in her hands, but Jarret remained unfazed, continuing to deflect it.

 _Now_ _ **this**_ _is a real test run._  Neither Satsuki nor Jarret were giving ground, while Mason watched helplessly, finally recovering from the dazing blow.

"There they are!" Mason spun around to spot two guards heading towards them from behind Satsuki.

With both Jarret and Satsuki locked in their ferocious duel, it left Mason to deal with the guards. He charged the closest one, who raised his rifle to shoot him. The stun rounds burned against his chest and arm, fuelling the pain powered strikes that he let loose into the guard's chest and face. With him pushed back, the other guard stepped in and swung his weapon in a right hook at Mason's head.

Mason ducked, but the guard had anticipated him doing so and slammed a knee into his face. As Mason staggered, he drew a stun baton from his belt and drove it into Mason's side. Mason was seized by uncontrollable muscle spasms and fell to his knees, yelling as the guard held the baton against him ruthlessly.

Satsuki's stamina was starting to run short, her attacks growing lethargic. Her opponent however was merely breathing heavily, and took advantage of her weakened state. Instead of using his hand, Jarret thrust his knee up, deflecting the blade once again. This time, however, the hand that would have done the deed reached forward and grabbed Satsuki's wrist. Dragging her toward him, he turned and slammed his shoulder into her face, making her yelp in pain.

Satsuki's grip on Bakuzan faltered, and Jarret tore the katana from her grip and tossed it to the side. Tripping her over his leg, the girl fell flat on her face. He then pressed his knee into her back and held her arms restrained. He needed only to wait for the guards to come over with proper restraints now.

The red lighting in the hallway suddenly turned off, followed by the normal building lights coming back on.

 _About time._  Jarret thought.

Mason howled in pain as the stun baton jolted his body with painful electricity. Had it been any ordinary person, they would have succumbed to the weapon by now. Because of this, the guard was bewildered as to why the boy was still kicking. These distracting thoughts opened him up to Mason swinging a fist into his gut, sending the guard flying backwards. The baton fell harmlessly to the ground, but the first guard had gotten up and pulled out his own, swinging it upwards to meet Mason's face.

Mason staggered back, narrowly avoiding it. The guard advanced, but Mason had taken hold of the dropped baton and jabbed it into the guard's leg. The guard let out a startled cry which was quickly silenced when Mason slammed a haymaker into his face.

The second guard recovered, but Mason still held his baton, so he retrieved his friend's one instead. Their batons clashed, and a savage left hook caught Mason in the face. He groaned, feeling the pain coursing through his body now. The guard now held both batons in each hand, preparing to drive both down into him. Mason kicked at his shin, and the guard grunted as his leg gave way and he fell down. Mason took hold of a baton and then pressed it into the guards back until his screams stopped.

Panting, he turned to see Satsuki pinned helplessly, Bakuzan lying a meter away. He took a step forward and then hesitated.

_Escape._

Mason's thoughts raced. He  _could_  leave. If Satsuki were captured, the Elite Four wouldn't have a clue as to where he went. That's if they weren't captured themselves. Satsuki turned to look at him, blood streaming from her nose. The expression of betrayal that was etched on her face when she noticed his hesitation made his heart stop. Mason felt shame hit him like a freight train.

 _No, you heartless bastard! She needs your help!_  Mason gritted his teeth, angry with his conscience and his selfishness equally.

If he wanted a hope of getting out of the building, he would need Satsuki's help. The building's power had also turned back on too, meaning that all the additional security would surely get him caught. Besides, how would Ryuko react when she learns that he had abandoned her sister to be taken prisoner just to save himself?

He frowned… why was  _that_  something he considered?

 _Not the time!_  His subconscious screamed.

 _Right._  Mason shook his head clear and raced forward.

Winding back with his gauntlet, Mason hoped to catch the assailant in his back. Jarret had heard him coming though, and turned in time to catch the gauntlet in his left hand. Without hesitation, he compressed his grip and Mason let out a cry of pain as the metal crushed his hand, the spike digging painfully into his nerves. Jarret kept hold of the gauntlet, but his other hand was still holding down Satsuki.

This meant that when he saw Mason go to jab him with two fingers, he didn't think it would hurt.

* * *

The red lights flickered off, replaced by the brighter lights illuminating the halls that Inumuta and Gamagori were racing down. Now that there was clear line of sight, the guards behind them took aim and fired. The two of them dived down as the bullets whizzed past their heads. Gamagori hauled Inumuta into a corridor to their right, following closely as more bullets flew past. They panted for breath and used the small moment of reprieve to recover.

"How big can they possibly make this building?" Gamagori's rhetorical question made Inumuta grin.

"The main power is back on. Luckily, I predicted this would happen." Inumuta raised a remote with a red button and waggled it about. "And you said I was wasting time."

He pressed the button and… nothing happened.

Inumuta pressed the button again, but still nothing.

"Is that meant to do something?" Gamagori raised an eyebrow.

Inumuta hit the remote against his other hand, pressing the button rapidly. "It's meant to fire off the EMP!"

"Hold it right there!" They looked up to see a guard aiming his pistol at them.

Gamagori dragged the guard into the corridor with them, knocking him unconscious with a downward blow to his head.

"Give me a minute to figure this out, Gamagori." They could hear the thudding footsteps as more guards advanced on them.

"I'll be keeping count, Inumuta." Gamagori dashed out into the hallway, charging at the guards.

Inumuta tapped into his earpiece, wondering how the others were going. "Lady Satsuki. Are you there?"

Static.

"Jakuzure? Sanageyama?"

Still static.

 _It was working before._  Inumuta frowned and thought for a moment.

His eyes widened as he had an idea. The power had been out when he communicated with them, but now the power was on, all the communications were being blocked. That could also be the reason why his remote detonator wasn't going off. However, the guards had to be able to communicate with one another somehow.

Inumuta pried the guard's helmet off and took the earpiece from it. Pulling it apart, he hastily broke off the remotes casing and quickly integrated the earpiece into it. This time when he pressed the button, there was a loud groaning sound coming from the power grid. Everything was plunged back into darkness and the familiar red lights returned.

Gamagori appeared from around the corner, panting for breath. "You're in luck, Inumuta. Fifty-nine seconds."

The two of them headed back down the corridor, making turns every now and then as Inumuta examined his map. They came back to the door leading to the staircase and descended as quickly as they could. When they reached the bottom, they noticed that the landing was heavily cracked, with a slight crater in the center. Looking back up the shaft, they could only assume something had fallen down from a considerable distance.

Continuing on, Inumuta led them around until they were stood before a metal door. Upon attempting to force it open, they found that it was much heavier than the ones they had encountered earlier. It took both of them together to gradually start making headway.

"If you had left the power on, maybe you could have hacked your way through this one." Gamagori complained through his strained grunts.

"I can't help that you set me a challenge. You'd hold it over my head otherwise." Inumuta responded drily.

A few more moments and they had managed to shove the door open enough for them to squeeze through. They walked into what appeared to be a factory, sewing machines and conveyor belts surrounding them. Inumuta walked closer to one and found half of a uniform, red fibers lying close to it.

Life Fibers.

 _So they are using Goku uniforms._  Inumuta looked around until Gamagori cleared his throat loudly.

He was standing beside one end of the conveyor line, looking into a bin. Inumuta walked over and saw what Gamagori had found. Inside lay a few completed uniforms, along with scraps of other fabric and more Life Fibers. Inumuta took hold of a uniform and folded it up.

"Come on, let's go. They're probably waiting on us." Inumuta tilted his head towards the other door in the room.

They approached the door, prepared to begin shoving it open again, but it opened before they could touch it. From the other side, Uzu stumbled in and a guard jumped on top of him, trying to drive his baton down. Uzu gripped the baton and held it away, but the uniform enhanced guard was winning the contest of strength. Gamagori got up in the guard's face and then lifted him up into the air, throwing him off to the side to tumble and roll. Uzu clambered up, taking the baton that the guard had dropped.

"I had it under control." Uzu said nonchalantly. "But thanks for the help."

"Are the others here?" Inumuta asked. In response they heard Nonon shout, followed by a guard crying out.

They followed the sound into a large cargo bay filled with trucks and crates. Across the room they could see Nonon kick one of the two guards she was fighting in the face. She spun around and arced her heel into the other guard's head, beating him down with her elbow to finish him off. She lazily walked to the rest of them who met her halfway, they could see an inflamed laceration just above her left eye from her fight with the Zealot.

"Nice job, Jakuzure." Gamagori praised her.

"Thanks. That's more than I get from monkey over here." She glared at Uzu.

"Have either of you two seen Lady Satsuki?" Inumuta inquired, but was met with distraught looks.

"We got here a little over five minutes ago. We've been repelling the guards ever since." Uzu shrugged.

"Let's hope they get here fast-" Inumuta was cut off when a door on the opposite side of the bay flung open, guards pouring through.

* * *

The lights had returned and Janus anxiously tapped into the camera system, hunting for Jarret. It had taken her a few seconds, but she finally found him on the camera at one end of the corridor. He had his back to her, but from what she could see, he had one of the intruders pinned to the ground, the other one engaged by two guards. She watched him throw the guards around, puzzled. One after the other, the guards were put down and she watched the boy turn to look at Jarret.

There was a brief pause before the boy advanced on him. Janus gripped the screen tightly.

"Jarret! Look out!" She screamed, though he couldn't hear her.

The boy got close, raising a metal-clad hand and went to punch him. She had no idea what that thing was capable of, but she was relieved when Jarret turned in time to stop the punch mid-swing. Her relief turned into heart stopping terror when Jarret suddenly seized up and she could hear his screams over the camera. As soon as he started, the lights in her room flickered and cut out, followed by the camera feed.

"JARRET!"

* * *

Mason winced at the pain shooting through his body. It started to wane, then stopped altogether. The same could be said about the man on the other end of his Pain Surge. His screams echoed out from his helmet, his whole body shaking violently. The second his attack finished, the soldier released his grip on the gauntlet, which now hung in a misshapen mess from Mason's hand. The soldier slumped over and onto his side next to Satsuki.

Simultaneously, the lights had gone out again, leaving them in the red glare of the emergency lights. Mason gripped the disfigured gauntlet and tried to pry it off his hand, yelling and stopping as he felt the spike dragging through his arm. He turned his hand to find the pin, but it had been bent and wouldn't budge. Satsuki picked up Bakuzan and grabbed Mason by the shoulder, examining the damaged gauntlet.

"There's nothing we can do unless you want to lose a hand. So you're just going to have to suffer it until we leave." Satsuki then dragged him toward the escape route.

Mason clutched the gauntlet as they ran, trying his best to keep it still. The grip had been crushed, along with the metal surrounding it, trapping his fingers in place. Satsuki tore down the corridors, having to stop periodically for Mason to catch up. They went through the bizarre maze they carved for themselves until they heard the jostling of armour and guns coming down a hallway. Satsuki pressed Mason against the wall behind her and waited for them to pass.

Five guards charged past, leaving them unnoticed. They were headed towards the door that Satsuki and Mason needed to go through. She grabbed Mason by the arm and dragged him behind her, sneaking up on one of the guards closest to her. When she was close enough, she put her foot into the small of his back and booted him forward, making him fall on his face.

The other guards heard him cry out and saw Satsuki stepping over him to crash down on another two, her sword slashing at them and forcing them down. The last two raised their rifles, but Bakuzan cleaved straight through and beat the soldiers down. She stepped away from them into the room, the Elite Four all grinning from ear to ear.

"Lady Satsuki!" They cried out. Then they saw her bloody nose. "You're hurt!"

Mason stumbled out after her, though nobody paid him any attention. Satsuki spotted the trucks and the controls to the cargo bay doors.

"Everybody get in!" She ordered. Without hesitation they piled into the vans.

Satsuki went to the controls and slammed the button. The doors grated into movement and slowly began to open. Uzu, Nonon and Inumuta piled into one van, while Gamagori got in the driver seat of another, opening the door for Satsuki. Mason straggled to the door of the van, though it would require him to use both hands to haul himself inside. Instead, Satsuki threw him in single-handedly and clambered in herself. The doors creaked open and both vans spluttered into movement, taking off not a moment too soon.

Five mighty Centurions wearing capes entered the room just in time to watch them scamper away to safety.


	16. We Need Your Help

It was the day after Satsuki had taken Mason to the city. Ryuko sat bored at the counter of Tsumugu's shop, who had come in this morning and pretended like nothing had even occurred. She wore Senketsu, which Tsumugu frowned at initially, but after hearing her reasoning, he let it slide. After the events that had happened, she felt like she needed someone to talk to, and Senketsu was the perfect candidate.

They talked for hours, stopping only when someone walked into shop. She had been filling him in on the events following the final battle against Ragyo. How Mako, Satsuki and herself had gone shopping, out to dinner, and living what she could only describe as a normal life. She continued with her studies until their Graduation Ceremony, that Rei had disrupted using Life Fiber doppelgangers of Satsuki and the Elite Four.

Ryuko admitted that she thought Senketsu had helped her by sending down her scissor blades and supported her throughout that fight. However, Senketsu couldn't remember helping her out between his final moments with her in space up to the point where he was thrown through her window.

"You're sure it wasn't you? I heard your voice and everything!" Ryuko insisted.

"Either I have lost my memory again, or perhaps…" Senketsu trailed off.

"You mean that voice? You think he's been hanging around since then?"

"Possibly even before that. There's no way of telling. He seemed evasive when confronted with any question about himself."

"You sound just like Satsuki." Ryuko rolled her eyes.

Ryuko continued to bring Senketsu up to speed. After Honnouji Academy had sunk, the Mankanshoku's had taken up residence in Konru, and soon after she took up work. The peace didn't last for very long when she found out her boss was Tsumugu, and Mikisugi was acting as a teacher again at Mako's school. They seemed to think the Life Fibers were still a very serious threat, and then a boy named Mason showed up, causing all sorts of trouble.

Ryuko's thoughts strayed as she thought of him. She rested her chin in her hand as she remembered him smiling at her in the room they were interrogating him.

"Ryuko?"

She shook her head and looked down. "What is it?"

"I called your name five times and you didn't respond."

"Oh, sorry. I got lost in my thoughts."

 _Get a grip._  She slapped herself mentally.

"You've definitely changed in the time that's passed." Senketsu said with a hint of mischief.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryuko raised him an eyebrow.

"You've gotten more  _girly_."

"I have not!" Ryuko stammered.

"All that time spent with Satsuki and Mako has made an impression on you. In a good way."

"Yeah right. Like you could possibly tell."

"I can. Your body is less tense from the constant fighting. Your mood is also considerably more light-hearted and friendly than it was when we first met."

"That'll change in a minute if you keep talking like that." Ryuko warned.

"I will say though, now that you're not keeping as physically active, your BMI has increased slightly…"

"Oh no! Not this again!" Ryuko cut him off.

The rest of the day was uneventful, with Ryuko and Senketsu sharing playful banter to keep each other entertained. Two days later, Ryuko had resorted to reading the comic she had been following for a few issues now. She had been idly flipping the pages, her eyes lightly skimming the words, barely taking them in, her mind occupied by other thoughts.

_I wonder what Satsuki and the others are doing right now…_

Ryuko turned to the next page, immediately going wide-eyed and slamming the comic shut. A blush crept onto her face and she kept her eyes facing forward, away from the magazine.

_Did I just see…?_

"Ryuko? What's wrong? Your heartbeat picked up and you seem on edge." Senketsu stated with concern.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Ryuko said sharply.

She slowly opened the comic back up, finding the page she was on and looked at the man's face again. She let out a soft sigh, relaxing. She convinced herself she was just seeing things and needed to pay closer attention. After a few pages, she had become complacent again, letting her mind wander. She glazed over the next few passages. It was a corny confession from the main character to her love interest.

_I really like you, Mason._

Ryuko looked startled and shook her head, staring critically at the text.

"I really like you, Dale." She read aloud.

"Who is Dale?" Senketsu asked curiously.

"Uh. Nobody. Just a character out of this book I'm reading."

"You've been reading silently this entire time. Why did you say that specific line aloud?"

"I was just… making sure I read it properly." Ryuko confessed, closing the magazine and putting it aside.

 _I seriously need to get a grip._  Ryuko scolded herself.

"I assume the story got too romantic for your tastes?" Senketsu sniggered.

"Shut up, dishrag." Ryuko couldn't help but crack a smile.

* * *

The trucks rolled slowly up to the mansion, loud coughs followed by expulsions of black smoke plumes wheezed from the exhaust pipes. Soroi opened the garage door to let them both in, keeping them out of sight in case they might have been tailed. The team bailed out of the van, with Mason cradling his trapped hand. Inumuta set off to get some tools to remove the gauntlet, while Shiro walked in to greet them.

"A flawless success, I assume." Shiro's sarcasm wasn't lost on anyone.

"We couldn't find the Life Fibers. They weren't at any of the suspected locations." Uzu folded his arms.

"We underestimated them. Now they'll be ready for us if we strike again." Satsuki said grimly.

"They were using Goku uniforms too." Inumuta returned with a case in hand.

He set it down and went back into one of the trucks, retrieving a white and black uniform that he handed to Shiro.

"Hm. I will have to analyse this more thoroughly to confirm your assumption."

Inumuta pulled a screwdriver out from the case, levering the pin and forcing it to pop out, however the spike did not move. Inumuta put the tool away and went to remove the gauntlet, but Mason quickly stopped him.

"Woah woah woah! The damn spike is still in my arm!"

"Then this is going to hurt. A lot. Gamagori, if you would help me please." Inumuta motioned for him to come over.

Gamagori stepped over and grabbed hold of Mason's arm, steadying it as Inumuta gripped the gauntlet and, on the count of three, ripped it free from Mason's hand. Mason shrieked in pain, the spike carving a large gash down his wrist and hand. Blood spewed from the enormous wound, covering up the gnarled tissue and nerves.

"Feel free to hit me, if it makes you feel better." Inumuta wisecracked.

Mason didn't hesitate to punch him in the face with his good hand, immediately feeling the regenerative effect on his hand. Everybody watched the blood staunch and the tissue mend itself, despite the extent of damage. In mere seconds his hand was back to normal and he could flex his fingers and wrist again.

"Jakuzure, are you alright?" Satsuki walked over to her. She noticed there was a developing bruise above the girl's right eye.

Nonon was fiddling with the locks on the Tailor's daggers that held them to her wrists.

"I'm fine. Just a couple of scratches." Nonon looked up appreciatively.

"Sanageyama told me that you had been hurt. It sounded pretty serious." Satsuki stated matter-of-factly.

Nonon's death glare rotated to fix on Uzu. "Did he now?"

Uzu raised his hands defensively, a nervous smile on his features. "H-hey. I heard you cry out. I couldn't actually see what happened, so I just thought-"

"It takes a lot more than a little beating to put me down, monkey!" Nonon lunged at him, grappling him and getting onto his back.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Uzu whirled around helplessly.

"I can take care of myself! I don't need you to watch out for me all the time!" Nonon rained hits down on Uzu's head. Luckily for him, she was doing it playfully so she wouldn't actually hurt him.

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Get a room you two." Inumuta grumbled as he recovered from Mason's punch, which actually  _did_  hurt.

Satsuki watched with silent joy, a small smile on her lips. She couldn't help but feel comforted by the carefree nature her closest followers expressed time to time.

 _Not followers. Friends._  Satsuki reminded herself.

"Lady Satsuki!" Her smile vanished at the urgency of Inumuta's voice.

"What's wrong?" Satsuki made her way to the back of one of the trucks.

"You're going to want to see this." Inumuta motioned to the opened shutter door of the truck.

Everybody else had their attention piqued also, crowding around to look at what Inumuta had found. Satsuki looked inside, surprise crossing her face.

"Are those-?" Mason began.

"Life Fibers." Satsuki finished.

Several wooden crates were loaded in the back of the truck, and one had cracked open somehow during their hasty retreat. Inside it, a red, glowing material was hanging out.

"We didn't come back empty-handed at all." Inumuta then went over to the back of the other truck, opening the shutter door.

That truck was also holding crates, presumably filled with Life Fibers. Inumuta jumped in and, still holding Mason's gauntlet, drove the exposed spike into the wood and pried it open. The wood creaked and snapped, sending Life Fibers scattering out onto the floor of the truck.

"Everybody. I want these boxes taken to the containment cell immediately." Satsuki ordered.

They nodded and began hauling the crates out of the trucks, ten in total. One by one, with exception of Gamagori who could hold two, they carried them out of the garage and into the mansion. They stacked them in the chamber that Mason had been training in, while Shiro and Inumuta were setting up the monitors. Once the last crate was placed inside, they vacated the area.

Inumuta began typing into the console, multiple graphs with waves flashing up on screen. With ten in total, Mason could only assume each one represented each individual crate. Though whatever they were measuring was beyond him.

"What condition are they in, Inumuta?" Satsuki spoke quietly.

"From what I can tell, they're in what appears to be hibernation. Waiting to be put into clothes and worn by a human host." Inumuta kept his eyes on each screen.

The silence was deafening for a few moments. "Then we'll give them what they want."

Everybody turned to stare at Satsuki in horror.

"What do you mean, my Lady?" Inumuta asked.

"From where I stand, we don't have much of a choice. Our foe is using a kind of Goku uniform, and with only Bakuzan and a single Tailor's dagger left, we're outmatched." Satsuki let them digest this for a moment.

"So what you're saying is that we need to get our Goku uniforms back?" Uzu put forth.

"Precisely. We need to utilise every advantage we can. Even if it means resorting to using the very thing we're trying to destroy." Satsuki's eyes narrowed as she stared at the crates.

"Shiro, do what you can with the materials we have available. Don't waste time making a uniform for me."

"I'll see to it, my Lady." Shiro bowed his head.

"Seeing as there is nothing more we can do, we should catch some shut eye." Satsuki turned and went back upstairs, followed by the others with exception of Inumuta and Shiro.

* * *

A couple hours had passed since Satsuki and the others escaped from Century Security. Janus sat beside a bed in the infirmary, her hands clutching another. Jarret's eyes were open and he looked softly at her, grinning reassuringly. She had clearly teared up earlier, and her make-up was a mess. His thumb caressed her knuckles comfortingly.

"I told you, I'm fine. Stop worrying." Jarret spoke calmly.

"They found you unconscious, barely breathing!" Janus choked up.

"Didn't expect the kid to be holding a stun weapon. Shouldn't have let my guard down." Jarret casually shrugged.

"I don't think he was holding a stun weapon at all, Mr. Galda." Dr. Tynan approached holding a tablet device.

"Is he going to be alright, Doctor?" Janus' voice wavered.

"Mr. Galda is going to be perfectly fine. In fact, I came to discuss the aftermath of the attack." Dr. Tynan looked around curiously to make sure nobody was around.

"What's wrong, Doc?" Jarret became more attentive.

"Several things. First of all, two of three trucks holding the last shipments from REVOC's were stolen. Those trucks were holding Life Fibers that we hadn't been able to offload yet."

"So they've gotten their hands on some Life Fibers? How many exactly?" Janus frowned.

"Fortunately, they took the trucks that had the least amount of Life Fibers. The third had eight crates, while the two that were stolen had five each. In total, they have enough material to make four and a half Centurion Zealot uniforms in their possession now."

"Damn. Though whether they can use them or not is a different story." Jarret smirked.

"Actually, that's the second bit of bad news I have. We scraped together the camera footage of the intruders and identified them as Satsuki Kiryuin and her 'Elite Four' members, along with an unknown male."

"I remember that name. She's Ragyo's daughter. And the Elite Four were the only ones capable of wearing Three-Star Goku uniforms. At least that's what was in Ragyo's reports." Janus had her business face on now, wiping the smudged make-up from her face.

"So they can stand on par with our Zealots then?" Jarret asked, though he sounded doubtful.

"They would need to make their own uniforms first. Assuming they even can." Dr. Tynan shrugged.

"Not to mention our Zealots are seasoned veterans, and our opposition are barely adults." Janus said flatly.

"Not quite. They showed some exemplary skill, especially that Satsuki girl." Jarret remarked.

"Following on that note, they appear to be using weapons capable of damaging our armour." Dr. Tynan pressed a button on his smart device and flipped it for them to see the screen.

They watched as Satsuki swung her black katana at Jarret, the gun in his hand splitting in half. Another screen showing Nonon leaping at the guards in a hallway, two bladed weapons on each arm carving chunks from the guard's armour. The screen then flickered to show the pieces of the broken Tailor's dagger, sorted around a table.

"One of these weapons was damaged by our Zealot. We've recovered it and are planning on making something that can counter these weapons. It's already been predicted that a prototype should be ready in two days." Dr. Tynan spoke proudly.

"Excellent. Any other news, Doctor?" Janus asked.

"Yes. In regards to the traumatic experience Mr. Galda has been put through, we've been unsuccessful at identifying the sixth intruder. Though I have an inkling as to who he is."

"Do you have a name?"

"Perhaps. Tell me, Mr. Galda, about his attack on your person. Do you remember anything at all?" Dr. Tynan kept his gaze just over the smart device.

Jarret frowned and leaned back. "Like my whole body lit up with sudden, excruciating pain."

"Fascinating…" Dr. Tynan's eyes flicked down to the smart device.

"What is?" Janus folded her arms.

"Well, you see. Several days prior to the attack, there were several hacking attempts on our systems. I initially blocked them, but they were persistent. I decided to leak some non-essential and falsified information to them. In return, I subtly copied all the data on their computers. It honestly seems like complete nonsense, but it does fit the description you've provided me, Mr. Galda."

"We're going to need a little more explanation, Doctor. What exactly did you find?"

"I would say it's a dossier, or notes, on a 'Mason Date'. The name appears infrequently, along with detailed logs on a 'curse'. Several entries are about a physical attack that causes Mason's 'victims' to, and I quote: suffer indescribable pain across their entire body."

Janus looked sceptical. "Are you sure they didn't feed  _you_  the falsified information?"

"I believe him." Jarret said unequivocally.

"Seriously? A  _curse_? I find it very difficult to see the logic behind that."

"For all we know, the word shouldn't be taken literally. It could be code for some augmentation." Jarret turned back to Dr. Tynan for confirmation.

"There are some discrepancies with that idea, but it is possible. However the logs go into quite some depth, even to describe the exact hand motion that he uses to execute the attack."

Dr. Tynan flipped the screen to show the video footage of Mason attacking Jarret. Janus turned her gaze away while Jarret stared intensely. Just before Mason touched him, Dr. Tynan mimicked the fore and middle finger hand pose that they could see him using. He played the video briefly to let the scene play, comparing it to the notes, making every comparison he could.

"Although I can make countermeasures for the rest, I can't see how I could possibly make something to combat  _this_. I don't know enough about how it works." Dr. Tynan shrugged his shoulders hopelessly.

"Rewind the video, Doctor. Back to the start." Jarret spoke calmly.

Dr. Tynan brought the video back to the beginning and let it play. Jarret paused the video after a brief moment and then pointed at Mason on the screen. Janus had turned back around to see what he had found.

"What have you found, Mr. Galda?" Dr. Tynan flipped the screen to face himself, unable to find anything significant.

"Play it and watch closely. You'll see Mason pause."

Dr. Tynan went back a few seconds and showed the screen to Janus. Mason had just dealt with the second guard, turning around to see Satsuki he took a step forward and then abruptly stops. He remains motionless for a long while before visibly clenching his fist and striding towards Jarret.

"Okay. What does that have to do with anything?" Janus looked at him in confusion.

"That there tells me he was unsure if he should help Satsuki. Which means that he's reluctantly working for her, or something else is up. Nothing more exploitable than distrust between allies." He looked between the two of them. After some thought, understanding dawned on their faces.

"You're not thinking of convincing him to join us?" Janus sounded appalled.

"I'll give him the choice. He can have our protection, or he can walk away from this. If he chooses to stay with them, then that's his decision."

"Sounds like we can leave it in your capable hands, Mr. Galda. In the meantime, I shall check on our R&D department and start fabricating some prototypes." Dr. Tynan nodded briefly and left them alone.

Janus was silent for a while, not letting herself look at Jarret. Not until he took her hand again.

"What's on your mind?" He said softly.

"I can't stand the thought of you going near that boy again, Jarret."

"Ma'am, have faith in me."

"I do. It's my faith in  _him_  that's been perturbed."

"Doesn't the kid remind you of someone? Forced into some unwelcome circumstance, probably waiting to be double-crossed before being hung out to dry?"

"You don't know that. We don't know a single thing about his situation."

"I'm still going to try. He just needs someone generous enough to come along and give him a second chance."

"This isn't the same." Janus bit the inside of her lip.

"Of course it is. I'm just paying it forward."

Janus took a slow breath before turning her gaze on him. "Alright. I'll entrust the matter to you."

* * *

The morning after Satsuki's raid, Ryuko had been replacing stock that was coming dangerously close to running out. Sales had begun to pick up the past few days, and Ryuko found herself busier, which she was grateful for. She had become reliant on Senketsu to keep her mind off things, a certain magazine in particular. When he had broached the subject, she told him unconvincingly that he was right about it becoming too romantic for her tastes.

Truth be told, she couldn't even trust her imagination not to seduce her thoughts when looking at the covers of those specific publications.

The door to Tsumugu's office creaked open, and Ryuko looked up to see Tsumugu beckoning her closer. She made her way over, giving him a questioning look.

"There's a call for you, Matoi." Tsumugu opened the door wider to let her inside as he stepped out.

Ryuko watched as Tsumugu took her position at the counter, serving a customer that had just approached. She looked back and found a phone on his desk, the screen showing an active call. She picked it up gingerly and held it to her ear.

"Hello?" She said cautiously.

"Ah. There you are." Ryuko relaxed as she heard Satsuki's voice.

"Hi Satsuki. Checking up on me are you?" Ryuko spoke cordially.

"Sorry Ryuko, but this serious. I hate to drag you into it, but we need you."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But I'd rather not discuss it like this. Bring Senketsu and your scissors. Here's the address."

Ryuko scrambled for a pen and paper as she quickly jotted it down. "Okay. I'm on my way."

The call cut and Ryuko peeped out the door to see Tsumugu finish dealing with the last customer in the store. He made his way back into the office and took the phone off her. Without a word he opened a drawer in his desk and produced a key, tossing it to her.

"Go around back and look for the blue dumpster. You should find a button on the back."

"Uh, sure." Ryuko blinked in confusion.

Ryuko left the store, going around to the alley. There was a blue dumpster, standing out amongst the other green ones. She went up to the side and found that it was slightly pulled out. Inspecting it closer, she saw the button Tsumugu mentioned and pressed it. The whole bin whirred and she moved back. The sides of the dumpster collapsed to the floor, and the top lifted up against the wall, revealing the contents.

Ryuko grinned wickedly as she recognised Tsumugu's motorbike inside. She hopped on, slotting the key into the ignition and twisting it, hearing the bike growl with life. She twisted the handles experimentally, checking mirrors and making adjustments to the seat. Once she was comfortable, she kicked away the support stand and made her way out of the alley. As soon as she had clear sight of the street, she turned the throttle hard and the bike roared as it raced forward.

Ryuko burst out of the alley, turning onto the road and speeding down towards the Mankanshoku's. Once there, she rushed inside to gather Senketsu and her scissor blade. She darted into her room, taking hold of her scarf and wrapping it around her neck, gathering her case that contained her scissor blade and yanking Senketsu off his hanger. The piece of clothing let out a sudden shriek and flailed about behind her.

"Ryuko! What's happening?! Why are we in such a rush?!" He wailed.

"No time to explain!" Ryuko dashed out the door and opened the rear storage compartment on the bike, shoving him inside.

She strung the case around her so that it rested on her back, ignoring the muffled cries of Senketsu. Within seconds they were off, eating up the miles towards the city. After some time she realised that she had been going way faster than she needed to. Senketsu was right, why was she in such a rush?

 _Satsuki needs my help._  She convinced herself, but there was a little nagging thought that kept poking at her.

 _Mason will be there too._  Ryuko shook the thought away.

She shouldn't have been this excited to see him again. She had barely met him, and definitely not on the best of terms.

 _I doubt he even remembers who I am._  She scolded herself, focusing on more logical reasons why Satsuki had called for her help.

* * *

Mason grunted as he lugged bags of groceries from the car into the mansion. Gamagori was holding one in each hand, while Mason was carrying double, and they were the heavier items. Gamagori told him that it would help him build his strength, whereas he was already at his peak. Mason chalked it down to the fact that Gamagori was enjoying having him as his lackey.

They had been out that morning to go shopping, but also to keep their eyes and ears open for any news of the attack. Remarkably, they heard none. Only a blackout was reported, and it was blamed on a faulty transformer. Nevertheless, they picked up some essential items that they were running low on to make the most of the trip. Mason went to fetch the last of the bags and bring them inside, while Gamagori and Soroi began unpacking.

Mason closed the door and went all of five steps before hearing the doorbell. He groaned and dropped the bags, rubbing his aching arms as he went back.

"Who is it?" He called lazily.

The door swung open and he caught his breath. Ryuko stood before him, wearing her casual shirt, jeans, sneakers, jacket and a scarf. She also had a large case slung across her back, and a container in her left hand. She was staring wide-eyed at him, her face slowly going red.

Ryuko's heart skipped a beat when the door opened. She stood stock still, unable to move or think of anything to say. She felt her face heating up and her clutch on the container tightened.

 _Oh crap. Why did you have to be the one to answer the door?_  She gulped.

"Ryuko, right? Can I help you?"

Her heart melted on the spot. She tried to speak, but she let out a squeak and clamped her mouth shut.

 _Dammit! Say something!_  She screamed at herself mentally.

"Are you alright?" Mason took a step towards her, staring in concern.

"Mason! I told you to get those bags into the kitchen." Gamagori appeared from behind him, glaring.

Mason sighed and sidled away, grabbing the bags he had put down earlier and dragged them off toward the kitchen.

"Ah, Matoi. Lady Satsuki has been expecting you. Follow me, please." Gamagori stood aside.

Ryuko regained control of herself and quickly entered. Gamagori led the way through the mansion to Satsuki's room, where she walked in to find Satsuki just coming out of her room's en-suite. Gamagori closed the door behind her and presumably departed.

"Hello sister. It's nice to see you." Satsuki gave her a pleasant smile.

"You too. I brought what you asked." Ryuko slid the case off her back and opened the container, producing Senketsu.

"Ryuko! How could you put me in that thing? I could hardly breathe in there!" Senketsu gave her a glare with his one good eye.

"I doubt that you need to breathe." Ryuko gave him a cold stare.

"Maybe not. But fresh air keeps my fibers in good conditions and stops me from getting all musty!"

"You weren't in there for that long." Ryuko rolled her eyes.

"I'm glad to see you both reunited." Satsuki interrupted, grinning widely.

Ryuko blushed a little. "So what did you need us for?"

The smile faded from Satsuki's face. "There's been a complication to our plan. A company called 'Century Security' has salvaged the remaining Life Fibers from REVOC's. In turn, they have made themselves something similar to Goku uniforms."

"So why call me? You have Bakuzan and the Tailor's daggers. Let's not forget the Elite Four are worth an army by themselves. Don't tell them I said that."

"Normally, we would be able to handle it. We even procured some Life Fibers of our own to remake the Goku uniforms for the Elite Four to use. The problem is that our opponents are exceptionally skilled. I also believe we've run into someone wearing the equivalent of a Four-Star Goku uniform."

"A Four-Star? I thought nobody could stay in control of anything beyond Three-Star uniforms?"

"Most people can't, but you and I can both wear Kamui's. It makes sense that someone, as rare as it would be, can wear something greater than a Three-Star uniform. It's only because beyond thirty percent, Life Fibers have a lot more control of what they're stitched into, which is why they can overwhelm human hosts. In this case, this man is able to retain control, and his uniform offers him extraordinary power. So much so that he was capable of matching Bakuzan and I, barehanded."

"I didn't think anyone could match the great Satsuki Kiryuin." Ryuko gave a sly grin.

"That is why we need you and your Kamui. You are, after all, the single person that could best me."

Ryuko turned her gaze away, unable to hide her grin. "Jeez. That's a fancy way of flattering me."

"Of course, I'm not going to force you to do this. You have the option to decline, but I couldn't take the risk of telling you all this over the phone. They could have been listening in, and we're not ready to face them again. Not yet."

"I see." Ryuko turned a questioning look to Senketsu, but he shrugged, if she could even call it that.

"It's your decision, Ryuko." Was all he said.

"Alright then. I drove all the way here, I can't just walk away now. Count me in." Ryuko gave Satsuki a confident grin.

"Never one to back down from a challenge, were you?" Satsuki gave her a teasing smile.

There was a soft knock on the door before Shiro appeared in the doorway.

"Lady Satsuki. I've completed my analysis of the uniform Inumuta and Gamagori found."

"Excellent. Let's see what we are fighting." Satsuki followed Shiro out, with Ryuko tailing not far behind them.


	17. Countermeasures

The uniform lay flat on the bench before them, along with other images of it deconstructed. Ryuko, Satsuki, Shiro, Mason and the Elite Four all sat around in a circle, examining the dissected parts. Shiro was rearranging the images, positioning them to match the uniform so they formed a side by side comparison.

"After a thorough investigation, I have identified this as a uniform that consists of ten percent Life Fibers. The equivalent of a One-Star Goku uniform. However, there are major flaws to it." Shiro tapped certain images to indicate different regions of the uniform's anatomy.

"The tailors that have made this are obviously unfamiliar with Life Fibers. Unlike a Goku uniform, the Life Fibers in these uniforms are poorly organised, inhibiting their capacity to enhance the wearer to their maximum capability."

"That's good news." Ryuko murmured.

"A normal Goku uniform has the Life Fibers woven evenly throughout, in order to distribute them across the body and enhance all of the wearer's attributes equally. These uniforms have all of their Life Fibers concentrated at specific points. As a result, the uniform focuses on maximising defensive traits, sacrificing combat enhancements besides a minor improvement to the wearer's strength."

"So their uniforms are acting as power armour." Uzu commented.

"Meaning the way they fought was an actual display of the skill they possessed." Inumuta continued.

Satsuki's brows furrowed at the memory of her fight against the Four-Star. She felt a chill run down her spine.

"This is just a One-Star uniform. I couldn't give a definitive answer on what higher Stars might offer. Though going off how the tailors are making them, I assume they are just upgraded versions of the same thing." Shiro concluded.

"So when we get our Three-Star Goku uniforms, we'll easily crush these peasants into the ground, right?" Nonon grinned haughtily.

"Let's not get overconfident. Our opponents are practically military. They've got training that the majority of past opponents lacked. They also have numbers and the resources to back themselves up. Furthermore, we don't have much in the way of countering their uniforms." Satsuki stated plainly.

"We could always cut Senketsu up and stitch him onto our uniforms again." Uzu grinned cheekily at Ryuko. Both Senketsu and her turned a menacing glare at him.

"No offense, Sanageyama. But by doing that we'd probably lower our chances of success." Satsuki said unamused.

"I was just kidding." Uzu let out an exasperated sigh.

"It's impossible to take you seriously anyway, monkey."

"Guys! Let's not get side-tracked. What are we going to do once you've all gotten your Goku uniforms?" Ryuko looked around at the despondent faces.

"We haven't thought it through that far just yet." Satsuki answered.

"We can be sure they'll be ready for us next time. It's difficult to plan, especially when we don't know what they're up to." Inumuta added.

"I guess that means we'll just be waiting around. Great." Ryuko slumped back in her chair.

"Let's focus on getting our Goku uniforms first. Once that's done, we'll be better prepared. Even if it means trying a head on assault." Inumuta reasoned.

"Until then, keep a low profile. No doubt they're looking for us. Dismissed." Satsuki ordered.

Ryuko stood and stretched, watching as everybody was filing out of the room. She saw Mason, his attention focused on Gamagori who was saying something, though she couldn't hear him. She didn't feel the same anxiety now that she had at the front door, which she slapped herself for acting like a fool. A hand clapped her shoulder and she wheeled around to see Satsuki.

"Ryuko. There's something I have to tell you about Mason."

Mason sighed as Gamagori walked away, hanging his head depressingly. He looked up to see Satsuki talking to Ryuko in a hushed whisper. He couldn't make out what they were saying, besides a head tilt in his direction from Satsuki that made Ryuko look over with a grave expression. He averted his eyes and grumbled. Instantly, his mind jumped to the worst conclusion.

 _Is she getting in on the whole 'disposing me' plan now?_  He shook his head and, without sparing them another glance, trudged off out of the room.

"What do you mean you're worried about him?" Ryuko frowned.

"He's detached. It started a while ago, and he's inclined to keep the problem to himself."

"You haven't thought to go up to his face and just ask him?"

"I've tried, but he was evasive. He's a rather emotional person, and we've all been pretty hard on him the past week." Satsuki trailed off.

"So let me guess. You want  _me_  to try now?" Ryuko glared.

 _Great. She's forcing me to go talk to him. How the heck am I going to do that without making a fool of myself again?_ She looked over to see him staring at them both suspiciously.

"We need his full cooperation. Otherwise it could be disastrous." Satsuki refrained from mentioning how Mason had almost abandoned her to the enemy's clutches.

Ryuko sighed. In a way, it might be a good opportunity to get to know him better. Suddenly the idea was a lot more charming.

"Fine, I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, Ryuko. I'll leave it to you." Satsuki followed after the others.

Ryuko scratched her head lightly, planning how she would approach him with Satsuki's concerns. She went out, finding him at the front door about to leave.

 _Suppose it's as good a chance as any._ Ryuko put on her most stern look to try and control herself better.

"Hey! You!" She called out a little more aggressively than she intended.

Mason turned slowly to face her, his voice full of disdain. "What have I done now?"

"Oh. Uh... Nothing. Mind me asking where you're off to?" Ryuko stammered, her expression softening.

"Gamagori's got me running an errand. I'm headed out to get it."

"I thought we were meant to keep a low profile? If you go out you might get caught."

 _Not like they care. I'm expendable._  Mason thought bitterly.

"Well it must be pretty important then if they want to risk me getting it." Mason shrugged.

"Hey, I have an idea. I'll come with you!"

"You don't have to. I'm sure you've got other, more important, things to do."

"Nah. You give me five minutes and I'll be ready to go." Ryuko tried to give him a confident smile.

Mason gave a weak grin. "Alright then. I'll wait."

Ryuko skipped off down the hall and out of sight. She pressed her back against the wall and held a hand to her chest, feeling her heart racing.

 _I did it._  She thought with satisfaction. She then frowned and balled her hand into a fist.

"What am I saying? It's not like this is a date or anything!" She chastised herself.

Ryuko quickly dashed to Satsuki's room where she had left Senketsu. She considered taking him with her in case they actually did run into trouble. Within seconds she had put him on and slipped her shrunken scissor blade snugly into the pocket. She put her jacket on over Senketsu along with her scarf before setting out to find Satsuki. Instead, she ran into Soroi and asked if he knew where Satsuki might be holding onto some cash for her to borrow.

Not a moment later, Ryuko was back at the front door with Mason, who was leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"That was quick." He stated plainly.

"Come on, let's go." Ryuko led the way out, with Mason following not far behind.

The city was bustling with people and cars. The two of them had to remain close to each other in order to not get separated. Ryuko even held Mason's hand, feeling him clasp hers back, much to her delight. They turned a corner to a quieter area where they weren't being shoved along, giving them a moment to take in the surroundings.

"So what did Gamagori ask you to get for him that was so important?" Ryuko asked.

"Tea."

Ryuko whirled around and gave him a horrified stare. " _What the hell for?!_ "

"Satsuki. There's a specific tea leaf that Soroi uses. I didn't know so I picked up any random one. Gamagori was pretty angry over it, and now he wants me to go get the proper one."

Ryuko held a stern look. "He could have checked before buying it."

"I went to the store alone, while he was picking up other things. So it's my fault." Mason shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well you couldn't have known. Now he's making you risk your life to get it?"

"They'll do anything for Satsuki. No matter the cost." He said acidly.

Ryuko looked a little downtrodden as they continued in silence. They walked past a clothing store where Ryuko had a sudden flash of inspiration.

"Hey! Come with me for a minute." Ryuko began lightly shoving Mason towards the clothing store.

"What's the big deal? Why are we going in here?" Mason sounded alarmed.

"You'll see." Ryuko grinned mischievously.

She darted from aisle to aisle until she found what she was looking for. Picking out one she thought would look good, she returned and forced the hoodie onto Mason's head, despite his complaints. Eventually the hoodie was on and she showed it to him in the mirror. She flipped the hood up and over his head, concealing most of his face.

"You see? Now you'll attract less attention." Ryuko stood triumphantly next to him.

"Huh. Guess you're right." He inspected the dark red hoodie a little closer, putting both hands into the pockets.

"Definitely a keeper." Ryuko then blushed when she realised what she said could mean either the hoodie or him.

"I have to agree." He lowered the hood, letting Ryuko stare at him in the mirror.

"Can I help you two?" They both turned to see a female employee smiling brightly at them.

 _Couldn't have given me another minute?_  Ryuko thought glumly.

"No thank you, we're okay. Unless you really want this, Ryuko?"

"Hm?" She turned to look at him, he was staring straight into her eyes, pointing at the hoodie. Though, in another sense, it also looked like he was indicating himself.

"I, uh- Yeah. Yes please." Ryuko stammered.

"Excellent. Follow me." The employee led the way to the counter with Mason following closely.

 _I meant you, not the damn clothes._  She silently cursed.

Ryuko stood next to Mason at the counter as the woman took the tag and hesitated.

"You know. I think a white one would suit you better." The employee tilted her head and stared Mason up and down.

Inside, Ryuko felt bitter that she was eyeing him up while giving him fashion advice that contradicted her own.

"No thanks. Ryuko picked out the colour for a reason. I trust her judgement." Mason left no room for further comment.

Ryuko felt her face heat up. The woman shrugged and scanned the tag. Ryuko instantly produced the cash and handed it to her, restraining from throwing it in her face.

Together they left the shop and continued down the sidewalk. Mason kept his hood down for now, with both hands in the pockets. Ryuko wanted nothing more than to slip her arm around his, but she resisted with great effort.

* * *

Janus was heading into the testing room observatory where Dr. Tynan had called for her. She walked in to find Jarret already there, between them was a holographic display of a sword.

"I assume  _that's_  the reason you called for me, Doctor." Janus stepped forward until they were all within the same distance of the display.

"Yes it is. We exceeded our own predictions, thanks to that weapon our Zealot managed to procure for us." Dr. Tynan indicated the display, which flashed to the broken Tailor's dagger.

"We analysed the materials and integrated them into our prototype. Shortly after, we produced a weapon capable of cutting through a Centurion uniform."

"And you tested this on a Centurion uniform, I assume?" Janus looked unamused.

"I gave permission for the test. It's no use if they can't damage our opponent's Life Fiber armours." Jarret quickly intercepted.

"Very well. Point taken." Janus relaxed.

"Though will it be able to counter Satsuki's sword? That's the real question." Jarret turned back to the doctor.

"I believe it can. Her sword is incredibly sharp, and the material it's made of is tougher than anything we can produce right now. This is evident from the clean cut through Mr. Galda's rifle, and the fact he was deflecting the blade with his bare hands, yet he went through our toughest walls in seconds." Dr. Tynan turned an annoyed glance in his direction.

"However, the weapon we have created uses oscillating vibrations and heat in order to 'sharpen' itself. More accurately, the material it comes into contact with is destabilised, distorting the molecular structure and making it easier to cut through. I have termed the weapon as the Nullifying Resonance Gladius. For short, an NRG blade!"

Both Janus and Jarret stared blankly at the doctor who was quietly chuckling to himself. When he realised neither of them were laughing, he cleared his throat.

"I thought it was a clever name." He said quietly.

"Any particular reason why you chose a sword for us to use?" Janus asked.

"We haven't been successful at integrating the technology into anything else. Besides, we've already seen how effective blocking Satsuki's sword was with a rifle. We also thought it was clever to shape it like a Gladius, which is what Centurions used to wield in combat."

"So there's no combat advantage, just aesthetic?" She glared.

"Well… Yes." Dr. Tynan grinned nervously. Janus let out a sigh.

"If it works, then you can shape it however you want. You have permission to begin mass production."

"I shall see to it at once. By the way, Mr. Galda, in regards to those schematics you issued to me, I am currently working on the prototype. I was curious if you wanted to be the one that field tests it in the future?"

"Of course. I doubt anybody else would know, or have the skill, to use that thing properly."

"Dr. Tynan. I would like a word, if you could spare a moment." Janus interrupted.

"Of course, ma'am."

Jarret bowed his head before quickly exiting the room, leaving them alone.

"I want to request something very specific. I want a Centurion uniform of my own. The best that our tailors can possibly make." Janus spoke in a hushed whisper.

Dr. Tynan hesitated at first, but nodded. "I understand. I will put forth the request."

"Don't tell anyone about it either." She added.

"May I ask why you want one, ma'am?"

"I can't always let Jarret risk his life. I need to be there, beside him." Janus' mind flashed back to the horrifying video footage of Mason attacking Jarret.

"I'll see to it at once, ma'am."


	18. A Day Out Together

Ryuko and Mason had spent the better part of the morning running around from shop to shop, unable to find the specific tea that Gamagori had asked for. By midday, they had stopped to have lunch together before continuing their search. They both sat back in their chairs, pushing aside the empty plates. Ryuko had her gaze riveted to the floor, trying to think of something to say to him.

"Remind me to reimburse you for all this." He said. "I feel bad that you've paid for literally everything so far."

She looked up in surprise. "Oh, don't worry about that. Technically, Satsuki is paying for it all."

He smirked when she looked away guiltily. "If you say so."

"Besides, did you bring any cash of your own with you? Or anything at all for that matter?"

After a beat, Mason shook his head. "No, I didn't get a chance to grab anything from home before coming here. Not like there's much to take anyway."

"Why's that?"

"I don't have much left. Pretty sure I had just enough for another two weeks worth of meals left."

"That bad? Don't you have a job?"

"I did. Worked at the local groceries. Then I got sacked."

"What for?"

"I was… caught stealing food." He lowered his gaze.

"Surely you had a good reason, right?" She looked at him sympathetically.

He shrugged. "They were paying me just enough for every meal. But other bills were slowly using up what was left for me by my parents."

"Sounds like you were in a pretty bad spot."

"Yeah. That was two weeks before you all showed up."

She scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "I guess we didn't make things any better by chasing you down and taking you by force."

"No. But it wasn't as bad as what those punks were doing to me before that."

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"Why were they doing that anyway? What did you do to them?"

"Nothing. I normally get by without anyone noticing me. But after the stealing incident, I was disliked by nearly everyone. As far as they saw it, they were dishing out 'justice' on me."

It was Ryuko's turn to look down guiltily. "Reminds me of what I was like back in school."

"You were bullied too?"

"Not quite. I got into fights with anyone that got in my way. At the time I felt my actions were justified."

Mason raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

"I didn't prey on the helpless. Honest. But I could be… brutal. Sometimes."

His expression softened. "I can only guess you had a few issues of your own."

Ryuko smirked, rolling her eyes. "Only a few."

Mason leaned forward, arms resting on the table. "I'm all ears."

Ryuko took a moment to ponder. "My dad sent me away. His work meant he couldn't look after me. I suppose I felt neglected and angry about that. I never knew my mum, not until much later, after my dad died."

"Damn, I'm sorry. Though from the look on your face, meeting your mum wasn't a pleasant revelation."

"No, it wasn't. I learned she was responsible for organising his death. She found out he was making something to combat Life Fibers, which she was obsessed with them at the time. My dad made a pair of scissors and this Kamui." She pulled her jacket away to show Senketsu's good eye.

Mason went wide-eyed when he saw the Kamui blink. "I think it just blinked at me."

She laughed and pulled her jacket back over. "He  _is_  alive. Made completely of Life Fibers."

Mason raised a concerned eyebrow. "Does that mean…"

"No. He's my friend." She quickly cut him off.

He raised his hands defensively. "Okay. I trust you. So your dad made these things to fight other Life Fibers?"

"Yeah. He made them specifically for me. Senketsu has a bit of my DNA that binds him to me. In the end, that's what helped us beat my mother. She was using some sort of Kamui of her own to control other Life Fibers."

"You weren't kidding when you said obsessed."

"Would you believe me if I said she went so far as to combine herself with Life Fibers?"

"Is that even possible?"

"She tried doing it to Satsuki and me initially through experiments." She hesitated to continue. "And, as a result of those experiments, I'm now part Life Fiber and human."

She had turned her gaze away, but after an extended silence fell over them, she sheepishly looked back at him. He had a grief-stricken expression as he stared at her.

"That's-" He paused, unable to find the appropriate words. Instead he simply shook his head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry."

"I honestly expected you to freak out a little more." Ryuko couldn't help but feel a small smile tug at the sides of her mouth.

He scoffed. "I've been  _cursed_. But I'll admit I was a little shocked. It's hard to think someone could do that to their own daughter. You didn't deserve that."

She gave him a lopsided grin. "Thanks."

"Please tell me that witch got what she deserved."

"She ended up taking her own life, after we stopped her from dooming the Earth and all of humanity."

Mason leaned back in his chair, contemplating. "That's all sorts of messed up. No wonder you all hate Life Fibers so much."

"They've certainly caused us a lot of trouble."

"It sounds more like they robbed you of a perfectly normal life."

"Well if they didn't, we wouldn't be sitting here talking right now."

"True." He nodded. "So does that mean Satsuki is like you as well?"

"No. Thank goodness. She was too old at the time. Ragyo couldn't make the Life Fibers fuse with her body."

"Huh. I guess that means you're one of a kind now, huh?"

She pouted and shrugged. "That's one way of looking at it."

"What other ways are there?"

"Well I could be seen as some freaky hybrid monster."

Mason's brow furrowed. "I don't think so. You look human. And it's not like the Life Fiber part of you causes you any ill-effects, right?"

She paused for a moment. "I guess not."

"Then you're not a  _monster_. Not like me. My affliction hurts anyone I touch."

"That's not true." Ryuko looked doubtfully.

"It's all I've been doing the past week. Satsuki's been thrashing me and then forcing me to use my Pain Surge on her. Then she got the others to train me how to fight. All I've done is brought suffering to others since getting this curse."

Mason exhaled depressingly, balling his hands together. She tentatively reached out and put her hand on his. He looked up at her, seeing her gentle smile.

"I don't feel anything right now." She whispered.

He couldn't help but grin. "That's because I'm not empowered."

"Then so long as you stay like that, you can't hurt anyone."

He nodded. "Can't argue with that logic. Anyway, didn't mean to throw a pity party there." He cleared his throat.

"So tell me about your parents." She shifted subject.

"Nothing to say really. Bit like your dad, they were consumed by their work to ever pay me any attention."

"No siblings?"

"Nope."

"So you spent more time with friends than family?"

He scratched his head awkwardly. "I never really had friends. I spent all my time alone studying or reading."

Ryuko grinned mischievously. "Nerd."

"Haven't heard  _that_  one before." He said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"So what are you going to do after this?" She asked after an extended pause.

He frowned. "You mean after I'm done helping you all? I'm pretty sure Satsuki already has plans for me."

She noticed his face darken. "I can ask her to help you out, if you want?"

"I'll be fine." He said dismissively.

"No, really, I can-" She stopped when he raised a hand and shook his head.

"Honestly, I'll be alright. Thanks for offering, Ryuko." He spoke gently.

"Okay. I'll take your word for it." She reluctantly conceded.

Mason stood up and groaned as he stretched his legs. "We should get going."

Ryuko rose to her feet while he waited for her to join him at his side before leaving. They walked in silence for a moment before he cleared his throat nervously. She looked at him curiously and he opened his mouth to speak, then shut it immediately. She saw him swallow and shove his hands into his pockets.

"I just, uh, wanted to say. Back when you and Satsuki were... questioning me. I wanted to take back what I said. I can see now why you're a pretty special girl."

She blushed ever so slightly. "Thanks."

"Ahem. Anyway, do you think this place has what we're looking for?" He came to a stop in front of a corner shop.

"May as well take a look." She shrugged.

After a brief investigation, they found the item they were looking for. Mason paid with the small amount of money Gamagori had loaned him and they began making their way back to Satsuki's mansion.

"In a way, I was sort of hoping they  _wouldn't_  have the tea." Ryuko broke the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"Because now we have to go back. I was enjoying spending time with you." She sounded deflated.

"We can still do things together at the mansion." He replied casually.

 _But it's not the same._  She thought to herself.

"Or if you prefer, we can always pretend we're still searching for that tea." He hinted.

She looked at him in surprise. He gave her a roguish grin. She smiled right back.

"Didn't realise you were such a rebel." She teased.

"You must be rubbing off on me." He replied.

"There may be hope for you yet."

Mason hesitated in his step. Her words left a ghost of doubt to plague his thoughts. Hope for what? Hope for  _them_? Was she insinuating that she preferred 'bad boys'? Then again, from what she had told him of herself, that was a fair assumption to make.

 _I'll give it my best shot._  He thought as his jaw set in determination.

Both of them were unfamiliar with the surrounding area, so they had no particular destination in mind. They simply looked around in hopes of finding an excuse to prolong their trip. Ryuko hoped they might find an arcade or a similar amusement facility where they could find something to do together. So far, they could find no such establishment.

Instead, they just so happened to walk past an ice-cream parlour, where Ryuko abruptly stopped at the door.

"Wanna get one?"

"Hm?" Mason frowned in confusion.

"An ice-cream. Care to join me?" Ryuko beamed.

Mason looked at the storefront briefly before giving her a small grin. "Yeah. Sure."

They walked in to the sound of a small bell signalling their entry. It was pleasantly colder than it was outside, with multi-coloured tiled flooring and the low hum of running machinery in the background. Spanning from wall to wall were displays, filled with various colours and signs indicating a plethora of flavours. To one side of the room were three other teens that stood in complete contrast to the store's décor.

They were the stereotypical kind of company that warranted avoiding. Wearing ripped jeans, lopsided caps and black jackets emblazoned with offensive images. Tattoos of guns and bullets covered their bare arms, and they wore an assortment of jewellery, all of which were adorned with skulls.

Luckily, the teens paid no attention to the pair of newcomers who began to explore the various options presented before them. After some deliberation, Ryuko decided upon the strawberry flavour, while Mason went with chocolate. Ryuko rummaged around for some reasonable money but was forced to hand over a large bill in order to pay for them.

One of the shady teens nudged his friends as he watched Ryuko hand over the large sum of money. They all watched the return transaction, keeping their eyes on the pair as they turned and walked out of the store. The teens grinned evilly at one another, following them out. They waited until they got close to an alley before making their move.

Ryuko had taken a small bite out of her ice-cream, humming happily before she heard someone call out behind her.

"You two. Wait up." Both of them turned to see the shady punks encroaching closer, surrounding them.

"Can we help you?" Ryuko glared, annoyed.

"Let's take this elsewhere." One of them pointed to the alley. Another drew a switchblade, flicking the blade free and brandishing it before them.

They both got the message and reluctantly followed them into the alley, keeping their distance as best they could. Once they were out of sight of the general public, the punks stood between the pair and the exit.

"That was quite a sum of cash you had back there. Care to loan some to a friendly stranger?" The closest one spoke with a smug look.

"Oh good. We're being mugged," Ryuko sighed. "Get lost before I beat the crap out of you."

"That's no way for a lovely young lady to speak." He stepped closer and made to touch her face, but she slapped it aside fiercely.

"I won't say it again. Get lost." Ryuko warned.

"We're holding all the cards here. So fork over the cash." The guy flashed the knife to them again.

"That tiny thing? Please," Ryuko rolled her eyes. She moved her hand to the pocket that held her scissor blade, ready to draw it in a heartbeat.

"Listen buddy. Unless you want your girlfriend here to end up in hospital. I suggest you ask her nicely to hand over all she's got." The third punk stepped closer to Mason.

"How about I acquaint you all with the pavement?" Mason said flatly.

"What was that? Don't think I heard you right. You say you want a knuckle sandwich?" The first punk got his face up next to Mason's.

Without warning Mason gripped him by the shirt and slammed his head into the punk's nose. The punk reeled back with a cry of surprise, clutching his nose as hot blood started to drip down his face.

"You're going to pay for that asshole." The teen rolled his sleeves up.

"Hang on to this for me." Mason hefted his ice-cream to Ryuko who took it gingerly and watched as he walked toward them, pushing his hood back.

The punk swung a right hook, connecting with Mason's face, following with a jab to the gut. The third guy took a swing too, and his friend followed, until they were all beating him. Mason let them, absorbing the pain, not even attempting to defend himself. The punks then struck him in the face and stepped aside, letting the one holding the knife get close and drive the blade into Mason's side.

Ryuko watched in horror and gasped as she heard Mason grunt, seeing the blade twist in his side. The blade pulled out and went back in, then again, and again. The punk pulled the blade out and cackled as he shoved the blade into Mason's chest, pushing it into his heart. Mason cried out, not expecting the attack as he felt his heart struggle to continue pumping blood. The punk withdrew the knife and grinned viciously, waiting for him to keel over.

Mason continued standing though, and the grin slowly vanished from the teen's face.

"Nice try." Mason let a shadow of a smile touch his features before he lunged forward.

Mason trapped the punk's foot under his own, pinning him to the spot. He threw a right hook, watching the thug's head turn violently. Mason followed with an uppercut, making the teen reel back from the force, but his trapped foot meant he tripped. Mason let go of him, watching him flail his arms and fall on his back, hitting his head on the concrete before laying still. The two other punks hesitated now, though they believed their superior numbers gave them an edge.

One took a step forward and swung, Mason dodged and stuck his leg out, making the thug trip and stumble. Mason turned and kicked his back, making him topple over just in front of Ryuko. The second fell upon Mason, wrapping his arms around his throat and trying to strangle him. Mason hefted the teen up easily and threw him over his shoulder, giving him a swift downward punch to the face that made him go limp. The first teen was starting to get up, groaning in pain. His groan turned into a high pitched scream as Mason dug his fore and middle fingers into his back, watching as the thug lost consciousness and fell on his face.

Ryuko watched in stunned silence as the gaping wounds in Mason's body began to stitch themselves back together until they disappeared altogether. It reminded her of the Life Fiber regeneration that Nui and Ragyo possessed. She could see how Mikisugi could easily mistake the two. Mason stepped closer to her, seeing her gawping at him.

"That felt good." Mason remarked.

"Your hoodie." Ryuko let out a small whisper, eyeing the holes the thug's knife had made.

Mason looked down and touched one, his face going grim. "Damn. I liked this a lot."

"We'll see if Shiro can do anything about it." Ryuko said encouragingly.

Mason gave her an appreciative grin. "Not sure what I can do about the blood though."

Ryuko looked down and noticed that the clothes on his upper body were soaked in blood, luckily the colours blended somewhat. Before she could say anything, there were sirens coming from the entrance of the alley. They both looked to see three soldiers approaching. They immediately recognised them as Century Security guards, each of them was wearing the same uniform they had examined that morning.

"Are you two alright? We got a report that there was suspicious activity in the area." One of the guards called down.

Ryuko and Mason remained silent, looking around at the bodies of the unconscious thugs.

"Hang on. Look here." Another guard shone a flashlight on one of the thugs, some of Mason's blood on the floor next to the knife he had been holding.

"Hey! It's him!" The third guard shouted, shining a light on Mason's exposed face. "He's one of the intruders!"

"You're under arrest!" The first guard drew his gun and started to walk toward Mason.

"Hold this." Ryuko shoved the ice-creams into Mason's hands, stepping between him and the guards.

"Step back, miss. That man is a very dangerous criminal."

"Not as dangerous as me." Ryuko drew her scissor blade, tiny as of the moment.

Everybody watched in awe as the scissors began to extend and fold outwards until it was normal in size. Ryuko raised the blade between the soldiers and herself, smirking menacingly. The soldier had stopped advancing and wearily raised his gun, anticipating a fight. Ryuko shrugged her jacket off and let them get a good glance at her Kamui.

"Let's end this quickly! Ready Senketsu?" Ryuko lifted her hand and grabbed hold of her Seki Tekko, ripping it out and feeling her blood escape into Senketsu's thirsty fibers.

"Life Fiber Synchronise. Kamui Senketsu!"

Within a few seconds she had completed her transformation, a small gust of steam bursting from the back of her Kamui. The three soldiers looked at one another in confusion. Mason raised an eyebrow, his expression remaining neutral even though he looked at her outfit. He couldn't believe that her sailor uniform had gone and transformed into what was before him.

The soldiers raised their weapons and fired, the rounds harmlessly bouncing off of Ryuko. She dashed forward, assisted by the propulsion system as she swung her blade and cut one of the soldier's guns to ribbons. She repeated this with each one, rounding them up into a tight group before she gripped her sword tightly.

"Scissor blade. Decapitation mode!" The hand guard broke away to form an extended grip, which Ryuko took hold of. The entire blade divided and opened to reveal an inner blade that swung out, doubling the sword's length.

"Sen'i Soshitsu!" With one effortless swing, Ryuko brought the blade down upon the three soldiers, their armour disintegrating on the spot.

 _She really is amazing._  Mason stood by watching as she mopped up the soldiers with one single swing, his mouth agape.

Mason's gaze fell to the ground as he considered what he was involved in. Ryuko, Satsuki, the Elite Four, they were all capable and skilled fighters. They stood a chance in this fight against the Life Fibers. Meanwhile, he would have struggled to deal with even these three had it not been for Ryuko. He was a liability to the rest of them. He simply had a curse and was meant to complete some obscure task he didn't even know yet, not fight a war against Life Fibers.

Mason's eyes caught sight of something red, flowing softly to the floor. It was Ryuko's scarf, which had slipped off somehow during her engagement. He gathered up her jacket and the scarf, watching her retract the scissor blade back to its pocket sized version. Her hair waved brilliantly in the wind, red streaks emphasizing her fiery personality. She spun around to look at him with a gorgeous, triumphant smile.

 _I'm in way over my head here. I can't compete with her._  Mason's shoulders sagged.

Ryuko noticed that Mason was staring at her in awe. In one hand he was holding their ice-creams, the other clutching her jacket and scarf. A nervous grin spread on his face and she blinked in confusion. His eyes quickly darted down and back up, almost imperceptibly, but she had seen the movement. She looked down at herself and then blushed furiously.

"W-what are you looking at?" Ryuko stammered.

"I couldn't even begin to describe." Mason said smoothly.

Despite the fact she had grown comfortable with Senketsu and her appearance when they synchronised, something was off-putting by the fact that it was  _him_  staring at her. Her arms went over her body and she turned away.

"Pervert!" She cried out. She quickly powered down, reverting Senketsu back to his standard form.

Somewhere in the reverse transformation, Mason had closed the gap between them as he draped her jacket over her shoulders. Ryuko hummed and felt something land on her neck, watching his arms circled around to bring the scarf around her neck gently.

"Sorry." Mason whispered. He pulled his hood back over his head, handing back her ice-cream before setting off for the alley entrance without her.

Ryuko had to jog to catch back up, though she held her tongue. Shrugging her arms back into her jacket sleeves, she slowly ate her treat as they exited the alley and continued down the street. They continued in silence for some time, and neither of them could think of anything to break it.

Ryuko then went the extra step, summoning the courage to walk closer to him until she managed to nudge his arm playfully. When he didn't respond she nudged him again, a little more forcefully and a sly grin spread across her face.

Mason turned to look at her with a curious expression. "Can I help you?"

"Maybe." Ryuko teased, putting on her best innocent face.

Ryuko then stepped even closer, moving her arm to slip it into his. Mason kept a weary expression focused on her, anticipating something devious. Without warning she tugged on his arm, pulling his hand free from his pocket. It took her a brief second to reach in and snatch the tea from his pocket, letting him go as she skipped back a couple paces.

"Wha- Hey!" Mason stared wide-eyed at her. "Give that back!"

"You want it? Then come and get it." Ryuko waved the package in front of his face before taking off down the path.

Mason gave chase, though he could see he was losing ground as she sped away. She rounded a corner, turning around to see him skid into sight. She poked her tongue out at him and giggled as she took off again, leaving him to follow. By the time they rounded another two corners Ryuko was standing with one hand on her hip, not even breaking a sweat. Mason on the other hand was panting for breath, clutching his knees shakily.

"I am so not cut out for this." He gasped.

Ryuko sauntered up to him and leaned down with a large grin. "Looking for this?"

She thrust the package into his view, taunting him with it. He tried to swipe it from her grasp but she easily pulled it away and giggled softly.

Mason couldn't help but chuckle. "Cheeky."

They had conveniently stopped close by to a small park, where Ryuko spotted a vacant bench. She grabbed Mason by the arm and pulled him along behind her, leading him to the bench where he sagged into it gratefully. Ryuko sat beside him with the tea in her hands laid on her lap. She couldn't help but smile admiringly at him. His breathing had slowed, although he kept his eyes shut and his head was bent back over the backrest.

In an attempt to catch her by surprise, Mason's hand jumped out to grab the tea from her grip as he feigned to still be recovering. Ryuko barely managed to pull it away from him, not expecting the action.

"Nuh uh." Ryuko teased. Mason chuckled and shook his head.

"Okay. You win." He let out an exasperated sigh.

Ryuko then gingerly placed the tea into his lap, giving him a mischievous grin. He couldn't help but smile back, shaking his head. They sat there for some time, the sun casting an orange glow that was slowly receding behind the array of buildings. Ryuko had inched closer, little by little with discreet shifts in her posture, until they were practically touching shoulders. Mason didn't seem to mind, and didn't complain when she slowly laid her head onto his shoulder.

Ryuko glanced up and caught Mason looking at her with a half-lidded stare. She blinked a couple times, attempting to act cute and innocent, and was rewarded with a large grin. He even went so far as to wrap his arm around her and hold her closer.

"I didn't mean it, by the way." Ryuko spoke softly.

"Hm?"

"Calling you a pervert. I was the one that chose to transform. Everyone has stared at least once, so I should be used to it."

"Doesn't surprise me. You looked amazing."

Ryuko slapped him gently, smiling like a looney. "I don't need your flattery."

"Okay." He raised his hand defensively. "I suppose you get a lot of it from other guys more your type anyway."

"You mean like a boyfriend? If so, I've never had one before."

"Huh? You're kidding. With that charming smile and gorgeous looks?"

"Now you're pushing your luck." Ryuko gently nudged him in the ribs.

"Am I now?" Mason grinned evilly.

Ryuko's expression changed to surprise and before she could react he had both hands under her arms. His fingers playfully dug into her sides, eliciting cries of surprise and girly giggles from her.

"Ahaha! Stop! Stop! Aha! Okay okay! I give up! Please stop tickling meee!" Ryuko squirmed and writhed in his arms.

Mason let up and gave her a moment to regain her composure. Ryuko's face was flushed with embarrassment, rubbing her tingly sides as she calmed down.

 _Cutey._ Mason couldn't help but stare as she awkwardly blushed and tried to hide it.

Replacing his hand on her shoulder, Mason shifted closer and let Ryuko rest her head on his shoulder again. In a few moments, Ryuko's eyes slowly began to close, the setting sun making her suddenly tired. The soft glow of the afternoon dimmed around them, the warmth dissipating and making way for the cold to sift through. Ryuko shifted even closer to Mason as the cold set in, snuggling her head against his shoulder.

"We should really get going." Mason stated evenly.

"Five more minutes." Ryuko mumbled sleepily.

"Ryuko. Get up now." His voice serious.

Ryuko's eyes flickered open and she looked up at him to see the look of panic on his face. She looked the way he was staring and saw what the issue was. No more than fifty meters away was a heavily armoured looking soldier with a cape. Behind him was another four soldiers, similar in appearance to those that they had encountered earlier, though each had a crest on their helmet. They were all advancing towards them, armed to the teeth.

"We've got to go." Mason grabbed her by the hand and hit the ground running, jerking her from the bench as she clumsily caught her footing and followed.

They passed on to the next block, the shade of the buildings making the area considerably colder than where they had been. Not looking back, Mason kept a tight grip on Ryuko's hand. She couldn't help but blush, running along behind him, though she knew he would eventually tire and she would overtake him. They reached the end of the block and heard a gunshot, a bullet whizzing past Mason's head. They dived around the corner, narrowly avoiding more shots.

"That was too close." Mason gasped.

"Let me handle this." Ryuko wasted no time pulling out her scissor blade. She raised her Seki Tekko to her mouth and bit down on the pin, tugging it free.

"Life Fiber Synchronise. Kamui Senketsu!"

Ryuko hugged the wall, waiting for the first unfortunate victim to step around the corner. Instead, a pair of Enforcers burst out of an alley from behind them. They raised their rifles and fired at Mason, catching him in the shoulder and back. He cried out, but turned to fend them off, charging forward as they fired in bursts. Where any other human being would fall to the cascade of shots, Mason kept charging forward, each bullet fuelling his power as he barged into one of them.

While Ryuko had been distracted by the commotion behind her, the Zealot had turned the corner and hit her in the face with the butt of his gun. The other two Enforcers rounded the corner behind him, firing into Ryuko's stunned form, though their rounds bounced harmlessly off of her Kamui. She gritted her teeth and swung viciously at them. The Zealot retreated backwards, dodging each swing of her blade, until it got close to the wall and he planted his shoulder against the flat of it, trapping it between himself and the building.

Meanwhile, Mason reeled backwards after the other Enforcer punched him in the chest, shooting him more. Mason grabbed hold of his gun, pushing it up to face the sky as he repeatedly punched the soldier in the gut. The armour did wonders for mitigating the force of his hits, but the soldier was still crying out with each one. Mason then yelled out as the second Enforcer stepped up, driving a stun baton into his exposed side.

 _I really wish one of you would back off!_  Mason smouldered.

Mason growled in anger as he tore the gun from the soldier's grip, throwing it down and gripping the stun baton tightly, pulling it away from himself. The pain was starting to get to him, his whole body aching as the two Enforcers continued to mercilessly beat him. Mason reached out to grab the unarmed Enforcer before him, but his palm slammed into the soldier's chest instead and shoved him away. The soldier let loose a short howl of shock before he collapsed and lay motionless.

Ryuko struggled to pull her blade free from the Zealot's grip. Although he was just a Three-Star, he was insanely strong. Ryuko then let go of the blade and readied her hands by her sides.

"Senketsu Senjin!" Ryuko's Kamui then exploded into an array of blades, claws extending from her hands.

The Zealot took a step back in surprise, forced to retreat when she began slashing at him. He attempted to catch her hand when she made a swing at him, but the blades on her arms cut at his arm and she managed to scratch a large gash in his armour. The two Enforcers stepped forward, intercepting her advance as they fired full auto into her. The effect was minimal, and Ryuko shredded their guns, followed by half of their armour, forcing them to back off.

Mason stared in confusion at the downed man, the other Enforcer wearily eyeing him. Never before had he done whatever he had just did. His thoughts were interrupted when the second Enforcer tried to swing his stun baton upwards at Mason's jaw. Mason leaned back, narrowly avoiding it, he then closed in, keeping the Enforcer's arm up in the air as he drove his knee into his gut. The Enforcer spluttered and Mason delivered an uppercut, sending the soldier flying back to land hard on the pavement.

Ryuko growled in fury as she charged forward, slicing up the two Enforcer's until their armours were on the verge of disintegrating. The Zealot then kicked her in the chest, forcing her backwards. With advancing momentum, he beat Ryuko with left and right hooks before grabbing her by the throat and throwing her down onto the road. She groaned, sitting up and turning at the sound of a car blasting its horn, seeing it coming straight at her.

"Senketsu Shippu!"

Senketsu propelled Ryuko out of the way with dazzling speed. She bypassed the Zealot entirely, headed straight for her scissor blade. Snatching it up, Senketsu returned to normal and she spun round, going for a powerful swing at the Zealot. Her blade arced through the air at the Zealot, but it stopped short.

There was a hum and flash of red, the Zealot raising a sword up to block Ryuko's swing. Ryuko eyed the strange weapon that he was holding. The whole thing looked to be made of steel, but the edges were shimmering with a red hue, she could even hear a low hum coming from it. The Zealot drove her scissor blade back and lunged forward, going for a downward stroke.

The blade barely connected with her shoulder, but it sheared through her Kamui with ease.

"Argh!" Ryuko heard Senketsu shriek.

"Senketsu! Are you alright?" Her voice laden with concern.

"I'll be fine, but that blade is burning hot!"

Ryuko gritted her teeth and retreated a few steps.

"Scissor blade. Decapitation mode!" She cried out, her sword extending.

Mid-transformation, the Zealot closed the distance and landed an uppercut into Ryuko's jaw. The girl grunted and staggered back, being thrown back by a follow up kick to the chest. Her blade finished its transformation, just in time as the Zealot and Enforcers were closing in on her. Ryuko swung with all of her might, feeling the blade connect with two objects, watching as both Enforcer's armours crumbled to pieces.

However, she had failed to hit the Zealot. She watched as he dove under and it flew over his head. She went for a return swing, but the Zealot was quickly upon her, landing a punch into her face that made her fall backwards. He stood over her, his strange sword going for a straight lunge at her midsection.

"Ryuko!"

A hand intercepted and the blade went straight through it. Mason cried out but growled viciously as he dragged the blade away from her. The Zealot pulled his sword free from Mason's hand and kicked at him, catching him in the chest. However, Mason grabbed hold of the Zealot's leg and yanked hard, pulling him off balance and sending him crashing to the floor. Before he had a chance to get up, Mason dove down and struck him in the side with his Pain Surge.

Three seconds of screaming was followed by heavy breathing and pained groans. Mason sat down on the ground beside the fallen Zealot, clasping his hand as he watched it sew itself back together. He cringed as each bullet wound also closed up, clinking sounds as the rounds fell out of him and dropped to the floor. He was covered in blood, although the flow had come to a halt. Ryuko rushed to his side, her scissor blade retracting back to its normal length.

"Are you okay?" Ryuko placed a hand on his shoulder and was met with a brief nod.

Ryuko sighed with relief, taking a moment to power down until Senketsu was out of combat mode. After the transition, she noticed that Mason was staring at her with a lazy smile.

"What is it?" Ryuko asked.

"I thought that was pretty hot."

"Yeah. That blade burned Senketsu."

"Not what I was referring to."

Ryuko frowned in confusion, looking to him for clarification. He mimicked raising his left hand and biting down. Ryuko looked down to her Seki Tekko and then raised an eyebrow at him.

"We're under attack and  _that's_  what you were thinking about?"

"I couldn't help myself." Mason gave her a sly grin.

There was a groan coming from one of the Enforcers that Mason had dealt with. He was slowly coming to a sitting position, seemingly dazed as he searched around for a weapon.

"We've got to go." Ryuko dragged Mason to his feet and led them away at a sprint.

The Enforcer crawled for his gun, raising it in time to see the pair disappear out of sight. They ran for some time until they recognised the street leading towards Satsuki's mansion. Once they were close, they caught their breaths and walked to the front door.

"Thanks, for saving me back there." Ryuko murmured.

"Don't mention it." Mason shrugged. His hand reached out for the door handle.

Before he could open it, the door swung open to reveal Gamagori, arms crossed and looking furious.

"Mason! Where the hell have you been?!" He roared.

"Ran into some trouble." Mason fished the tea from his pocket and handed it to him.

Gamagori took hold of the slightly blood stained package, looking with disdain and then at Mason's blood soaked clothes.

"How did a simple errand end with you soaked in blood?"

"Maybe we should bring this conversation inside?" Ryuko suggested.

"Very well. But Lady Satsuki is going to want to hear what happened." Gamagori stepped aside to let them both in.

Gamagori marched them through to Satsuki's room where they began to explain the day's events.

"So instead of keeping a low profile, you drew attention to yourself by attacking a group of teenagers." Satsuki glared at Mason.

"They tried mugging us. They even drew a knife on him." Ryuko put in.

"You don't need to try and defend him, Matoi." Satsuki didn't spare her a glance.

"Because of this, you alerted Century Security forces to your presence instead of letting them handle the thugs. To make matters worse, they called for backup and you both fought only a few blocks from here." Satsuki summed up.

"It's not like they followed us here." Ryuko fumed.

"Maybe not. But they'll certainly send people to search around the area for you both. Not to mention there are probably witnesses that have seen you heading here. A guy soaked in blood isn't something that gets ignored by most people."

"You're right. I should've just run the errand and came straight back. It's my fault." Mason resigned himself to his fate.

"Consider yourself fortunate that I don't hand you over to them myself." Satsuki stood abruptly and went to the door.

"Satsuki!" Ryuko stood and followed after her.

"It's okay, Ryuko." Mason sighed.

"This is completely unfair." She stared her older sister in the eye.

"Recklessness isn't something we can afford right now. I'm going to overlook today's incidents, but I won't be so lenient in future. If you would leave us be, Mason."

Without a word he stood and left, wincing as the door slammed shut behind him. Ryuko glared at her sister and folded her arms.

"What was that about?" She demanded.

"It's called a warning."

"Beating him down like that and blaming him for everything isn't a warning." Ryuko growled.

"He's lucky that I didn't ask Gamagori to instil some discipline into him."

"I was at fault too! Those punks targeted us because they saw the cash I was carrying. That's how all this started."

"This started because instead of coming straight back, he agreed to go with you into that store. You weren't the issue, Century Security didn't recognise you. They recognised  _him_." Satsuki jabbed a finger at the door.

"If I didn't bring it up in the first place-"

"He could have easily declined. He also attacked those thugs first. As far as I'm concerned, he put  _you_  at risk. Now Century Security will be looking for you too." Satsuki turned away to end the conversation.

Ryuko was about to go on with the argument, but instead she bit her tongue. She knew that she couldn't change Satsuki's mind at the moment.

"Did you ask Mason about those issues we spoke of this morning?" Satsuki called out from her en-suite.

Ryuko froze and cringed inwardly. "Not quite…"

Satsuki let out an exasperated sigh and commented no further on the subject.

"We don't have any beds available. Feel free to use one of the sofa's in the living room."

Ryuko sighed, leaving the room and storming off. She had fetched her other clothes, preparing to put Senketsu away for the night.

"She's right you know." Senketsu said.

"What? Don't tell me you're siding with Satsuki on this." Ryuko glared.

"She has a point though. Mason was aware of the risks and decided to endanger you."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" Ryuko spat.

"Maybe. But you can't say the same for him. Had you not gone with him, who knows what might have happened today?"

Ryuko was about to tear into Senketsu again but realised that he had a point.

"Satsuki isn't concerned about you Ryuko. She knows you're capable of handling yourself. She's concerned that Mason might not know his limits and it might cost him his life."

Ryuko felt a pit in her stomach and her anger dissipated. "You're right. Though she could do a better job at explaining that kind of stuff."

"Perhaps you could tell him in the morning."

"I'll sleep on it." Ryuko bade Senketsu goodnight before hanging him up and making her way out to the living room.

It was cold, though she wore her jacket, jeans and scarf. Laying down on the comfy sofa, she curled up and slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

Mason made his way to one of the bathrooms in the mansion, closing the door behind him as he stared at his reflection.

 _She's right. I'm a screw up._  Mason closed his eyes and shook his head to clear the thought.

 _I'm a risk to them all. I'm a risk to Ryuko._  Mason slammed his hand into the wash basin in frustration.

 _Shut it._ He told himself.

When he opened his eyes again he gasped at his reflection. It was back, whatever  _it_  was. The mirror image stared him down, motionless except for its observant eyes. Mason gritted his teeth and turned away, refusing to look at it.

"What the hell do  _you_  want?" Mason spat.

The words were soulless, hollow, and they sent icy chills down his spine. But it wasn't how the words seemed to echo in his own head as though they were his own thoughts, but rather  _what_  it said that spooked him. He looked slowly back at the reflection, eyes wide. Had he heard that right? Did it really just ask him to do that?

 _I really am a risk to Ryuko._  Mason shivered at the thought.

"What did you say?" Mason asked again, hoping he had heard the voice wrong.

_…_ _kill Ryuko Matoi._


	19. Left For Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there,
> 
> I'm including this 'notification' for those who are struggling to visualize my awkward description of the 'Fork Knife' that can be found further on in this chapter. I have provided a link that will direct you to a rough sketch of what I tried to explain. 
> 
> Link: fav.me/dbte0m0
> 
> I hope this helps clarify my explanation.
> 
> Enjoy!

He stumbled out of the bathroom, hands shaking as tiny shards of glass were buried in his skin. He searched frantically, bumping into things in the darkness, roaming through the rooms to find her. He stepped into the living room, moonlight bathing the area in a soft shade of silver. There she was, sleeping, unaware. Helpless.

Mason clawed at his sheets and pillow, dragging them off the bed. He returned to the living room and stood beside Ryuko. Even though she was wearing as much as she could with only her face and feet exposed to the elements, she was shivering from the cold. He draped the blanket over her body, lifting her head gingerly and placing the pillow underneath. She shifted in her sleep, curling up tighter and clutching the sheet tightly around herself.

Mason stepped out the front door, closing it silently behind him. Sitting down on the porch, he stared into the night sky. He was weighing his options, thinking long and hard about his situation.

 _What have I gotten myself into?_  He sighed.

Would he be better off handing the responsibility to someone else? Maybe they would have the stones to do it. But then again, that wouldn't be fair on them. To pass on this horrible thing to another would be an atrocious thing to do. Besides, he couldn't trust someone else to do the job properly.

 _You just had to fall for her too, didn't you?_ He thumped his head against the wall, groaning.

It was ambitious to believe he had any chance. They barely knew each other, and what they did know made them out to be complete opposites. Now that he thought about it, he didn't pull off a very compelling act either. Not to mention the way she had acted confused him to no end. Perhaps he didn't have a hope in hell from the start, just like when he joined up with Satsuki and signed his death sentence.

 _What am I talking about?_  He frowned.

Here he was self-loathing, but he didn't have it nearly as bad as Ryuko. Her entire life had been one screwed up rollercoaster from the start. She deserved all the support he could give her. And if what the voice said was true, he had no reason to fear Satsuki's plan for him. He was already a dead man walking.

 _I'm being selfish._  He scolded himself.  _I should just focus on the task. Whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing. I'm already committed._

Just because his curse involved her, didn't mean that he had to get close to her. He simply had a task to fulfil, and then their association with each other would cease to continue. It was a temporary contract, he just had to grin and bear it. Once he was done with this endeavour, the entity would surely have no reason to let him keep the curse. He exhaled deeply, standing and heading back inside.

* * *

"No. Never!" Mason practically shouted at his mirror image. It stared blankly at him.

"Why would you ask me to do that?"

_It is the task that I asked of you._

"I refuse!"

_Then I will find someone else._

Mason hesitated. He had no doubt that this thing could easily bestow a curse on someone who would be more than willing to do his bidding. To kill Ryuko.

"Why are you telling me this now? Before, all you mentioned was her name."

The reflection furrowed its brow. There was a brief pause as the voice seemed to contemplate this.

_I see. Your curse is still developing. It translates the message._

"What the hell does that mean? What do you mean by 'developing'?"

_You are still learning its capabilities. Your connection to it will strengthen._

"Capabilities? Like other powers? And what connection? To the curse? Isn't it part of me?"

_It originated from me, and so it binds you to me._

"Bound to you? How is that possible?"

_The curse gives you life. The curse lives because I do. So long as you're cursed, you cannot die._

"Then, in a hypothetical scenario, how would I get rid of this curse?"

_You need only ask me to remove it. You will die. I shall find another to fulfil the task._

"Damn it. I'm just your puppet! I'm not even truly alive! I'm just being possessed by your curse!"

_I am incapable of performing the task. You act in my stead._

"As an assassin?!"

_As a guardian. The curse cannot kill._

"How do you expect me to kill someone then? You give me some flawed ability and expect me to do the very thing it's incapable of?"

_Pain is felt only by living beings. The curse cannot kill, as death ends the suffering of others, which is contradictory to its sole purpose._

Mason took a moment to cool down. He was getting worked up over something he didn't fully understand. Then again, it was starting to make him feel sick that he had to be the one cursed with something so awful.

"So let me get something straight. You're saying I can't hear your message properly until my curse develops further?"

_Correct._

"How do I develop my curse then? How do I get the full picture of what you want me to do?"

_Exercise it. Practise. Its capabilities are for you to assimilate._

"Then how do I know I'm making any progress?"

_You'll know._

Mason winced as his head suddenly flared with a sharp pain. Memories of the fight against the Zealot and Enforcers from earlier that day flashed into his mind. He saw himself hit the Enforcer in front of him, watched as he fell down, unmoving. The pain suddenly ceased and he shook his head, looking back into the mirror.

_Agony Strike._

"What?"

The lights in the room flickered and after a brief plunge into darkness, Mason found himself staring at his real reflection. He was seething with mixed emotions, and in a fit of frustration he lashed out. The glass fractured, crunching under his fist before falling to the floor and shattering into tiny pieces.

* * *

Ryuko's eyes slowly opened as she let out a yawn. The sunlight was pouring through the window and over her. She stretched her legs and noticed the blanket covering her, and not a second later she realised there was a pillow under her head too. She couldn't remember either of these items being here when she fell asleep, so somebody had to have come and given them to her while she was unconscious.

Ryuko frowned and tossed the blanket off, standing up and looking around for a culprit. In one sense she was grateful, but in a way she felt like they were treating her like a child. A thought crossed her mind and she grumbled with fury. If they had come in the night, they might have done a lot more than just give her a pillow and blanket.

There were soft footsteps approaching her, she whirled around in time to see Mason emerging from the corner. He was walking past when she called for him, making him stop in his tracks to face her.

"You wouldn't happen to know who owns these do you?" Ryuko pointed down at the pillow and blanket.

"I do, actually."

"Who is it? Because I'm going to give them a piece of my mind." Ryuko growled.

"They're mine." Mason replied drily.

She froze, eyes locked on him. She could feel the embarrassment creeping onto her face.

"Oh." She finally squeaked.

"So what were you going to say?" Mason raised an eyebrow.

Ryuko's brow twitched. She couldn't believe he was so calm about this. "I- uh…"

"Did I do something wrong?" Mason suddenly looked hurt.

All the anger evaporated from Ryuko's body. She clutched her arm and stared down, hiding her embarrassment with her hair.

"Oh, n-not at all. I just wanted to say… thanks." She stammered.

Mason relaxed and sighed inwardly. "I saw you last night. You looked cold."

"You came out to see me?"

"I was on my way out. I… needed some fresh air." Mason scratched his head awkwardly.

"Were you thinking about yesterday? About what Satsuki said?" Ryuko sheepishly looked up.

"Yeah. And other stuff." Mason answered vaguely.

"Listen. I was thinking about what Satsuki said. I think what she meant to say was-"

"Matoi! Mason!" Ryuko was interrupted by the thundering voice of Gamagori. "Both of you are needed in the panic room. Lady Satsuki has to show you something."

Gamagori turned and walked away, leaving them alone again.

"Hold that thought. We should get going." Mason turned to follow after him.

Ryuko wasted no time catching up to them as they went down the staircase. Everybody else was already there, and further in were five sets of clothes hanging from a rack. They hurriedly lined up with the rest, while Shiro and Satsuki stood beside the clothing rack.

"I have completed the Goku uniforms for you all." Shiro announced, indicating the clothes. "They're only Mk. III versions of your respective uniforms, as I didn't have my Tailor's regalia to make the ultimate versions."

Shiro stood aside to let each member of the Elite Four take their respective uniform and put them on. There was, however, another uniform that sat untouched.

"Mason. This one is for you." Satsuki told him.

Mason frowned in confusion, staring at it. Everyone was watching him expectantly, so he went up and took hold of the uniform. It looked like the one they had procured from the Century Security headquarters.

"There wasn't many Life Fibers left by the time I finished the others. So I took the uniform and made some alterations to it. It's not a Three-Star like the others, but it's better than a Two-star. It's made of twenty-five percent Life Fibers, and Inumuta made some inclusions that should augment your abilities." Shiro explained.

Mason stared at the uniform in his hands, and after a few moments he put it on.

"You can't tell but there are small insulated wires running through the uniform. They're attached to small capacitors located throughout. If you look at your arm, you'll notice we integrated the gauntlet idea into it too. In theory, the uniform will cause you to generate power while also storing excess charge, letting you go beyond your normal limitation." Inumuta pointed out.

"What's this 'gauntlet' idea? How does it provide him with more power?" Ryuko asked.

"Ah. You see, Mason can't become more powerful through self-mutilation. Which means he must depend on his enemies hurting him to gain power. So, after some extensive testing involving a cannon, we found a workaround to this issue."

Ryuko stared quizzically at Inumuta. "What kind of test did you do that required a  _cannon_?"

"Can we not talk about-" Mason started, but never finished.

"Mason shot himself with a cannon. It was a very successful test. He even flew across the room. It was quite spectacular. And the look on his face afterwards was hilarious." Inumuta seemed to enjoy going on about Mason's misfortune.

Mason scowled, he could hear stifled giggling behind him. He turned to see Ryuko with her hand over her mouth, eyes staring at him and her cheeks aflame. He raised an eyebrow her way and she closed her eyes tight as her shoulders started shaking, trying not to burst out in laughter. He couldn't help but admire how adorable she looked, immediately lifting his spirits as he sighed inwardly.

"Anyways…" Mason muttered. "Carry on with your explanation."

"You can use the pin similarly as the gauntlet. Simply turn it and the uniform will project small needles that should make contact with your nerves. The electric charge you generate will flow into the uniform once you surpass your limit, and will return back into you as you lose charge." Inumuta added.

"In terms of transformation, your uniform has been crippled by the original tailors. While it won't be as powerful as the Elite Four's Regalia uniforms, it will still provide you with substantial protection." Shiro finished.

"What is my uniform called then? If it's not a Mk. III 'Regalia' like the others?" Mason wondered.

"I'm glad you asked. We thought of a very clever name for it." Inumuta and Shiro smirked at one another.

In unison, "We call it: the Anguish Raiment."

* * *

Earlier that morning, Janus had been in her office drinking some ice coffee that Jarret had kindly made her. She was reading over reports from the previous day, where multiple Gladiators, Enforcers, and even a Zealot, were defeated. The Gladiators and half of the Enforcers had lost their Centurion uniforms in the confrontations involving Mason and a mysterious girl. She was said to be holding a weapon capable of instantly destroying their uniforms.

However, that wasn't the worst of it. All of the soldiers that had encountered them mentioned that the girl had transformed. Prior to her transformation, she had mentioned the word 'Kamui'. Janus was sceptical, though at the same time she was inclined to believe them. How else would she have defeated them all so easily?

 _The last thing we need pitted against us is one of those Kamui's._  Janus glowered.

"Is something wrong, ma'am?" Jarret could see the tension in her features.

"There's been a complication. There are reports that Satsuki's little gang has gained an ally who possesses a Kamui."

"One of those outfits made completely of Life Fibers?"

"Yes. I remember Ragyo telling me all about them. It's more important than ever that we are prepared if we are forced to fight it."

"Then you're in luck, ma'am." They both looked up at Dr. Tynan, standing in the doorway.

"I take it you've got something to show me?" Janus closed the screen she was reading the reports off of.

"I have two, actually. We are ready to test run the prototype 'Fork Knife' weapon, Mr. Galda. Designed to your rather, interesting, specifications." Dr. Tynan hefted a metal briefcase onto the table before them. Undoing both clips, he lifted the lid up to reveal the intricately designed weapon.

It was a two-pronged knife, with a large blade that tapered into the shape of a sharp 'J'. The very tip of the blade was a sharpened point, as was the jagged, protruding end that bent back up toward the grip to form a crude 'V'. The second blade was smaller and its tip pointed inwards, directly into the curvature of the larger one. This meant that the larger blade bent around the smaller one, preventing it from being used to attack.

Instead, the large blade left a gap surrounding the small blade that got progressively thinner as it got closer to the hilt. The tapered end of the larger blade only encompassed the tip of the smaller blade, leaving a large section where the smaller blade could be used to block attacks. This tapered piece also projected away from the smaller blade, leaving a space between them that connected with the gap between the two blades.

Finally, the hilt was protected by a hand guard that curved toward the blade at either end. The whole thing was slightly longer than a kitchen knife, but the blades were incredibly thick and heavy-looking.

"As for the modifications we have made, based off the NRG blades, it has been constructed in a lattice formation, rather than from solid metal. This has enabled us to integrate the vibration and heat enhancements throughout both blades, rather than just the edges. We've also chosen to make the weapon out of an artificial crystalline material that can tolerate higher frequencies, allowing the blade to cut through everything we tested it on."

Jarret lifted the knife up, examining it closely. It was fairly weighty, but he could still move it without effort. The material that comprised it looked as hard as diamond. He smirked as he swung the blade about experimentally, familiarising himself with it.

"Congratulate your team for me, doctor. You've all done an excellent job." Jarret placed the weapon back into the case.

"My second set of news is in regards to your request, ma'am." Dr. Tynan hinted.

"Jarret, if you would please leave us."

Jarret bowed his head. "At your behest." They waited until he had vacated the room before continuing.

"The tailors did the best they could. The finished product is a uniform consisting of seventy percent Life Fibers. Are you certain you want to try this? You and I have read the reports on uniforms beyond thirty percent-"

"I'm willing to try. If Jarret can master forty percent, then who is to say I can't do something similar?"

He sighed in resignation, "Very well. It's waiting in the testing facility." Dr. Tynan then led the way there, followed closely by Janus.

She felt anxiety when faced with the uniform, though her resolve carried her through to putting it on. She anticipated losing control, becoming some horrible monster like the soldiers that had tried to wield her Champion's uniform. She was shocked when the uniform made no attempt to do anything of the sorts. When she went to transform, the uniform turned into a sleek set of armour, while her helmet had a cobalt blue visor.

Upon further inspection, the armour was skin tight and much thinner, rather than acting as a shell like the Zealot or Enforcer. The armour itself was also very light, though it was probably twice as durable as a Zealot's. They didn't bother performing any tests, as Janus was confident enough that the armour would outperform the others with ease.

"I think we're good here." Janus announced.

"Very well. I'm unlocking the door now." Dr. Tynan called through.

Janus exited the facility without incident, coming up to the observation room after having powered down.

"I'm honestly surprised you can wear that thing."

"The difference is that they tried using kids to control them. I have greater control over it, similarly to Jarret, because we have the discipline."

The door behind them opened to admit Jarret, a grim expression on his face.

"Ma'am. A team found them. They're surrounding the building and waiting for permission to commence the attack."

"Granted. Though I'm coming with you." Janus said, leaving no room for argument.

Jarret glanced up and down at her new uniform, stifling a smirk. "Looking exceptional ma'am." He said as she walked past him.

"You must be going blind, Jarret."

"Then I cannot fathom how radiant you must look to someone who isn't."

Janus turned and gave him a flattered smirk. "You smooth talker."

"You love it." Jarret winked as he caught up with her and they walked side by side.

Janus didn't reply to that. She couldn't exactly deny it.

* * *

Satsuki was addressing the others with the current plan of action they would be taking against Century Security. The plan was simple, as Inumuta couldn't think of any option that didn't involve direct conflict. He was thinking this when he felt a vibration in his pocket, coming from his phone. He took it out and after a quick glance he abruptly jumped to his feet.

"Guys! We've got incoming!" He shouted. The others followed suit, alerted by the urgency in his voice.

There was a faint sound coming from upstairs. Shattering glass.

"They found us." Satsuki shot a quick glare at Mason before turning her attention to the immediate situation. "We'll have to try and repel them."

"Leave it to us." The Elite Four sounded as they initialised their transformations.

"Three-Star Goku uniform. Shackle, Probe, Symphony, Blade regalia's. Mk. III!"

The commotion caught the attention of the initial invasion forces. Several Gladiators watched the entrance to the staircase while another two set up by the wall on either side of it. Behind them were other soldiers who wore no Life Fiber enhanced uniforms. All of their weapons were trained on the entrance.

A swarm of tendrils burst from the opening, making the soldiers hesitate from shock. The tendrils swarmed the group watching the stairs and wrapped around them. The soldiers yelled as they were dragged toward the stairwell, slamming into their comrades who stood by the sides. The tendrils retreated before admitting Gamagori who toppled the walls as he charged out to meet any opposition still standing.

A pair of Enforcers emerged from the corner and fired alongside their more fragile compatriots at Gamagori in short bursts. The bullets bounced off his uniform as he stampeded toward them. The Enforcers moved away as he got closer, splitting up. Their comrades however were scattered like ninepins as Gamagori tore through their line. Gamagori went for one of the Enforcers, giving the other an easy target.

He didn't manage to fire off a shot, however, as some invisible force delivered several blows to his abdomen and head, dropping him. Gamagori pounded the other Enforcer into the ground, turning in time to see Inumuta appearing out of thin air as he turned off his camouflage.

"There's bound to be more around here." Inumuta surmised. As he spoke, there was shots coming down the hall that the Enforcers had appeared from.

"Leave some for the rest of us!" Nonon sailed around the corner, her pair of speakers exploding with sound. Any bullets that had been caught in the sonic attack were thrown to the side, while the soldiers at the far end were thrown backwards also.

The others had emerged from the remains of the staircase now, following their vanguard. The windows to their right exploded into shards as an Enforcer and two Gladiators fired into the room. Uzu stood between them and the others, using his new sword to deflect every bullet away. Sound exploded from Nonon's speakers, blowing away one of the Gladiators, and Uzu dispatched the other two in quick succession.

Inumuta went to one of windows and looked out. There were several armoured personnel carriers parked outside, and a pair of helicopters were on their way too. Even more Enforcers and Gladiators were heading towards the building, moving in squads.

"There are a lot of these guys coming toward us. And they've got reinforcements on the way." Inumuta announced.

"Then we have no choice but to retreat. We're outnumbered and ill-prepared." Satsuki decided.

"At least we've levelled the playing field a bit." Uzu chuckled.

"I need to get to Senketsu and my scissor blade, then I can help out." Ryuko regretted not keeping them closer to hand.

"I'll go with you. The rest of you need to make a path to the garage." Satsuki ordered.

The two of them headed off toward Satsuki's room while the rest made their way to the garage as planned. The girls encountered a group of Enforcers and Gladiators that were searching the hall near Satsuki's room. The door was open, and they assumed more were inside. Satsuki rapped the wall loudly, keeping out of sight with Ryuko right behind her.

"Did you hear that?" One of the soldiers spoke.

"Yeah. Course I did." Another retorted.

"Then go check it out."

"Fine. Cover me."

One of the Gladiators turned the corner in time for Satsuki to jump him, wrenching his arm behind his back and using him as a human shield. The soldier tried to break free but Satsuki held him completely immobilised. Ryuko bent down to grab the man's gun and grunted as she felt how heavy it was.

"Damn it. Open fire!"

"What?! Don't shoot me you idiots!" The Gladiator yelled.

They ignored his complaints and fired, the rounds bouncing harmlessly off the soldier as Satsuki pushed him forward, advancing. She gave him a violent shove that sent him toppling towards his comrades. One of them grabbed him and moved him out of the way as the rest fired at Satsuki. She made a mad dash into the room, narrowly avoiding the bullets.

The soldiers went to give chase, but Ryuko rounded the corner and fired wildly, halting their advance. The gun was unwieldy in her hands and she immediately abandoned it after her distraction attempt. She hid behind the corner as there was return fire, the rounds smacking into the corner just by her arm. The soldiers moved up, wary of Satsuki within the room ahead of them.

As one of the Gladiator's went to turn into the room, he was hit in the face by the pommel of Bakuzan. Satsuki danced out, wielding both Bakuzan and Ryuko's scissor blade as she cleaved through the closest three soldiers in quick succession. This left only an Enforcer and two Gladiators that backed away from Satsuki, firing in short bursts to pin her down. She quickly skipped back around the corner to Ryuko, tossing her scissor blade and a bag.

"Get changed." Satsuki told her.

Ryuko opened the bag to an annoyed Senketsu. "What have I said about being in confined spaces?"

"Not right now, Senketsu." Ryuko slipped him on.

A rather gutsy Gladiator charged down the hall, only for Satsuki to jut her blade out time for him to smack right into it. He fell onto his back and Satsuki dragged him out of the hallway to knock him out with a swift strike to the head. The distraction allowed the other two soldiers to charge down after him, both taking aim at Satsuki. They both cried out and staggered forward, Ryuko's scissor blade cutting across their backs.

Satsuki slammed the hilt of Bakuzan into the Gladiator's jaw, while Ryuko sliced the Enforcer's armour to pieces. With both of them down, the girls began to make their way back toward the others. From outside, they could hear the helicopters pass over, circling around and hovering overhead.

The others had been systematically clearing rooms and advancing toward the garage. The Elite Four would check the area and remove any threats before moving forward, with Uzu closely guarding Shiro and Soroi. Mason remained behind them all, checking for threats that might try an attack from the rear. The team moved swiftly until they made it outside, making a break for the garage.

* * *

Their helicopter was approaching the soon-to-be battlefield. Gale could sense Connor was itching for payback after his defeat at the hand of the girl in the Kamui. Lexi sat beside him, though that wasn't uncommon, they were good friends after all. He looked to his right to see Kahn, as carefree as ever, grooving to the music playing over the speakers. Kahn gave him a thumbs up when he noticed Gale looking.

To his left, Chase had his arms crossed and was impatiently tapping his foot. Gale put a hand on his shoulder and the younger man looked at him in surprise.

"Not much longer now."

Chase nodded and leaned back into his seat, exhaling through pursed lips. The music came to an abrupt stop, much to Kahn's disappointment. The pilot voiced that they should start getting ready to drop. The five of them stood, giving one another curt nods. In perfect synchronisation, they transformed and took position by either door of the helicopter. A second later they slid open, and the team stepped off, hitting the ground with resounding  ***THUDS***.

* * *

They all grunted as a pair of helicopters dived dangerously low toward them, circling around and throwing up the wind viciously. The chopper directly ahead of them opened up, and five large soldiers dropped out, cutting them off. Nonon and Uzu immediately recognised them, all similar in appearance to the one they had run into at Century Security headquarters. The Elite Four sensed that a big fight was ahead of them, watching as the five Zealots lined up to face them.

"You should surrender now. Nobody has to get hurt." Lexi spoke.

"We will never surrender to those who serve Life Fibers!" Gamagori roared.

"So be it." The Zealots drew their swords in sync, activating them.

From behind, the second helicopter opened up and a slim figure dropped out. She seemed to be wearing something similar to the other Centurions, but it was much smaller and had a blue visor. Upon seeing him, the woman got into a combat stance.

He noticed his own armour was as skin tight as the woman's, however, where her plating was rounded, his was angled. He also lacked a helmet, and had half as much metal plating to protect him. The few plates that his uniform had were placed mainly around critical joints and protecting vital organs. Despite Shiro's claim that the Anguish Raiment was an upgrade from its predecessor, Mason was inclined to believe otherwise.

"Give up, boy." Janus glared at him. "If you surrender then this might go a little easier."

"What about the others?" Mason asked, his thoughts immediately flashing to Ryuko.

"If they choose to fight, then we have no choice but to retaliate."

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to go through me first."

"Very well. I'll make it quick."

 _Sorry Jarret. But I'm not taking any chances._  Janus thought grimly.

Both Ryuko and Satsuki burst out of the door to the grass terrace where the others were preparing to fight. They appeared just in time to see the other side of the second helicopter open up as a familiar gold visored man leapt out to face them. Satsuki gritted her teeth when she saw him, and he chuckled in amusement at her reaction. In his hands was a strange knife and an NRG blade that Ryuko recognised from the day before.

"Ryuko. Be careful. This is the Four-Star that I was telling you about." Satsuki whispered.

"Isn't it rude to talk behind someone's back?" Jarret spoke casually.

"Real funny, coming from someone who is about to get ground into dust." Ryuko smirked.

He chuckled, "I'd love to see you try."

Both girls raised their weapons at the ready.

"Let's dance." The Fork Knife in Jarret's right hand shimmered before the entire blade glowed with a red hue.

The Elite Four charged simultaneously, while the Zealots held their ground. Gamagori threw forward several tendrils, but the Zealots blades cleaved through them with ease. Nonon blasted them with several sonic attacks, each one barely making a single one of them budge. Uzu thrust and swung his sword, each time being countered easily as the Zealot he engaged danced around despite his enormous set of armour.

Gamagori threw a punch, and it was caught mid swing. Gale twisted his arm and threw him across the field, marching after him. Inumuta had vanished and attempted a sneak attack on one of them, but his hits were barely scratching them. Kahn spun around, swinging his sword wildly, forcing Inumuta to retreat. Chase closed in from behind, cutting Inumuta's retreat short.

Lexi approached Nonon, who was desperately firing her speakers with little effect. The Zealot swung up with lightning speed, her blade tearing through one of the speakers, making it explode. Inumuta was caught in the blast and thrown down, a visible patch of grass flattening beneath him. Chase caught on to this minor detail and grabbed him, letting Kahn beat him up as Chase restrained him. Uzu managed to strike Connor several times, but his armour was mitigating a lot of the impacts.

Connor managed to catch Uzu's sword mid swing and wrenched it from his grip. Uzu stumbled forward before being thrown back by a punch to the face. Gamagori got back up, feigning a punch from the side and then hammering a blow into the Zealot's chest. He staggered back, but was otherwise unaffected. Gamagori charged forward, and the two of them locked hands in a contest of strength. Gamagori used this chance to send more tendrils at him, but they were striking ineffectually at his armour.

Janus bounded forward, taking Mason by surprise at how fast she was closing in. She flew up into the air and delivered a powerful kick to the side of his head, sending him several meters to the side. Before he could get up, she was upon him, pulling him up by the collar and slamming her knee into his back. He gave a choked cry and staggered forward. She whirled him around, punching his chest and midsection repeatedly before planting her heel into his face and sending him careening for several more meters toward the mansion.

Mason smashed into the wall, causing large cracks to appear in it. Janus picked him up by the throat and then hurled him into the wall again, this time sending him through as the wall gave way. She briefly stood over him, watching as he coughed and spluttered from the dust. He pushed himself up and made to punch her, but she caught his hand, twisting his arm to spin him around and then kicking his legs out from under him.

Mason landed hard, the breath knocked from him. He struggled to break free from her grip, though she was holding him down effortlessly. She sneered and raised a foot, bringing it down hard into his gut. Mason gagged and spluttered, though she kept at it until Mason spewed blood onto the ground beside him. She let go of him, stepping back as he writhed on the ground pitifully.

She exhaled with satisfaction and turned to leave, but she noticed a nearby pillar holding the roof up. Narrowing her eyes she looked back at Mason and headed toward the pillar. One by one, Janus took out the pillars holding the roof up with single kicks and punches. The ceiling was starting to destabilise, and one final pillar finally caused it to cave in.

Mason recovered just in time to watch Janus walking away. He then heard the crumbling sound, looking up and covering his head as large chunks of the ceiling fell on top of him. When the dust cleared, all that was left was a pile of rubble that Mason was buried beneath. Janus strolled out of the hole she had made in the mansion, turning to see Jarret dodging and weaving away from an arcing red blade.

The two girls lunged at him, and he skipped to the side, letting both blades skim past him. He used the pommel of his Fork Knife to stagger Ryuko with a blow to her back. Satsuki whirled around and swung at him with Bakuzan. He raised his NRG blade and they sparked upon contact. Ryuko wheeled around, carrying her scissor blade in a large arc to hit him in the side, but his Fork Knife blocked the blade effortlessly. Both girls grunted as they tried overpowering him, but he was holding strong.

Satsuki broke off and went for a straight lunge, making Jarret disengage from Ryuko as he stepped out of the way. Ryuko closed in, trying for an overhead strike, but Jarret delivered a kick to her mid-section that sent her flying back. Satsuki flung her blade at him again, but he caught it with his Fork Knife. Then, he angled the knife, letting Satsuki's blade slide down to the point where it got caught in the opening between the large and smaller blade tips. He shifted the weapon, her blade moving from the outer gap to the central one running between the main bodies of each blade.

"Got you." Jarret announced triumphantly.

Jarret reversed his grip on the Fork Knife, driving it into the ground and dragging Bakuzan with it. The knife buried easily into the floor, but Bakuzan was awkwardly positioned and prevented Satsuki from wrenching it free. Jarret swung up with his fist, catching Satsuki in the jaw as she was hurled backwards. He dragged his knife free from the dirt, kicking Bakuzan free onto the ground.

"Life Fiber Synchronise! Kamui Senketsu!"

Jarret whirled around and grunted as he barely managed to cross his blades to block the scissor blade that smashed into him. The girl had transformed into some strange revealing get up, though it was clear that this was the Kamui Janus had been speaking of that morning. The strength it gave her was astounding, but it wasn't enough that it made him struggle in their contest. He focused his efforts into forcing her back with his NRG blade, turning his Fork Knife around so that the small blade faced her.

Ryuko caught on to his scheme and broke off, going for a lightning fast upward strike. He leaned backwards, letting the blade fly past his face. Ryuko then swung wildly, each time the blade would fly past him as he dodged and danced around it. Ryuko growled in frustration, despite how fast she was moving, he was able to keep up. The fierce strikes were then suspended when Satsuki charged in, Bakuzan back in her hands as she forced him to retreat.

"That's a pretty neat trick you can do with that knife there." Ryuko grimaced, eyeing the humming red blade.

"I could say the same about your outfit." Jarret replied with amusement.

"We can't win this, Ryuko. We need to go." Satsuki kept her eyes trained on Jarret.

"Aw come on. This is just starting to get fun." Jarret replied eagerly.

The contest between Gamagori and Gale ended when each broke off and slugged each other in the face. The Zealot staggered back while Gamagori was sent reeling, though the momentary stun gave him the opportunity to break off and head toward the garage. The Zealot made to intercept, but Uzu had caught on to Gamagori's plan and jumped in front of him. Connor joined Gale as Uzu stood between them and Gamagori.

Nonon braced as Lexi destroyed her second speaker. She then gagged as the Zealot grabbed her by the throat, throwing her off in the distance. Nonon struggled back to her feet, pulling a flute out from behind her and then throwing it at the Zealot. She caught it and then looked at it, confused. The flute detonated violently, sending up smoke and dust that Nonon used to get away while Lexi was stunned by the explosion.

Inumuta was thrown to the ground after a thorough beating, with both Zealots encroaching on him. He used what strength he had to quickly stand and move away so that they both lost him again. He caught sight of Gamagori heading toward the garage, followed by Nonon, and so he too headed that way. Uzu dodged the Zealot's attacks with his Tengantsu, but they were slowly building up in speed. Another two joined the fray, striking at him from behind. As soon as one hit had connected, the rest began to as well.

Before long, Uzu was thrown aside by Gale, who delivered a swift punch to the side of his head. Uzu groaned, slowly rising as the Zealots stood by, he could see the others making their escape, and he would need to ensure they succeeded.

Satsuki leapt forward, bringing down Bakuzan for an overhead strike. Jarret used his NRG blade to deflect it, his Fork Knife locking with Ryuko's scissor blade as she tried to strike him while he was distracted. They pulled back, and this time Satsuki went for a straight lunge again. Jarret used his Fork Knife to wrench the blade out of mid-air, trapping it once again and pinning it to the ground.

"Now Ryuko!" Satsuki yelled.

Jarret's eyes narrowed as Ryuko threw a torrent of cuts and slashes in his direction. He was forced to back off and abandon his knife, using his NRG blade to deflect her scissor blade instead. Satsuki had intentionally used Bakuzan to get rid of his own Fork Knife, leaving him without an easy way to disarm the more threatening opponent.

The scissor blade flew past him as he leaned backwards. He jutted his foot out, kicking Ryuko in the leg and making her stagger. He rushed forward, his NRG blade swinging widely and making Ryuko block it. With her sword out of the way, he delivered three swift punches to her face and then finished with a roundhouse kick that sent her flying. The distance however was more than enough for Satsuki to quickly pick her up and drag her away toward the garage.

Jarret frowned and looked to his Fork Knife. Satsuki had managed to pry Bakuzan free and allowed Ryuko to distract him. The two girls sprinted down into the garage where the others were all clustered. Both Shiro and Soroi had managed to sneak away as the Elite Four had engaged the Zealots, providing them relatively safe passage to hide in the garage.

"Lady Satsuki. The car is ready to go, but Sanageyama is still out there." Gamagori reported.

Ryuko looked around, counting heads until she paused and frowned. "Where's Mason?"

Everyone looked around, the expressions on their faces telling her that they didn't know.

"Inumuta. Is there anything you can do to get Sanageyama?" Satsuki asked.

"What about Mason?" Ryuko stared wide-eyed at her sister.

"I can extend my camouflage to another person temporarily, it should give him enough time to escape." Inumuta began configuring it on his uniform.

"Is anybody listening to me?!" Ryuko shouted. "What are we going to do about getting Mason out of there?"

Everybody looked around silently, but it was Satsuki who broke the uncomfortable silence. "There's nothing we can do for him."

Ryuko reeled, her emotions running wild. Her eyes threatened to tear up, but anger and adrenaline purged her system and ignited her blood.

"To hell with that! I'm going back for him!" Ryuko snapped.

"It's too dangerous to go out there and search for him, Ryuko. We know where Sanageyama is and we can save him. Mason can take care of himself." Satsuki explained, but Ryuko was beyond reasoning.

"Do what you want! I'm going to find him!" Ryuko grabbed her Seki Tekko and tore it free.

"Ryuko. The way you're going, you threaten to transform us both into the abomination form again." Senketsu informed her, but she ignored him.

She stormed out, her blade unfolding until it was in Decapitation Mode. No amount of calling after her made her turn back.

"Inumuta. Get Sanageyama and Matoi back for us. Gamagori, get the car out and be ready to drive fast." Satsuki ordered.

Inumuta initiated his cloak and dashed out the door, heading toward Uzu. Gamagori started the engine and the garage doors rolled open, letting him slowly drive it out as subtly as he could. Satsuki went over to Tsumugu's bike and rolled it out after them, remaining by the car. She would keep guard as she waited for Inumuta to return before starting the engine in case it gave them away.

"Mason! Where are you?!" Ryuko called out. The Zealots, Jarret and Janus all changed their focus from a beaten Uzu to her. They began heading toward her, blades in hand. Ryuko gritted her teeth and gripped her scissor blade tightly.

"Get out of my way!" She screamed, her blade coming down with such power that the mansion wall behind them split in two. From behind them, Uzu's form suddenly vanished, unnoticed by the others.

"Tell me where Mason is! Right now!" Ryuko hacked and slashed, the enemy dodging and blocking her attacks. The ferocity of Ryuko's strikes kept them from advancing as they hunkered down to survive her onslaught.

"I'm not leaving without him, so you better answer me, or else!" Ryuko growled.

"Your friend was crushed by rubble. I doubt he survived." Janus stated grimly, indicating the collapsed portion of the mansion behind her.

Ryuko stared in horror. Then her face contorted with fury. "You lying bitch!"

With the aid of her propulsion system, Ryuko burst forward, winding back a lethal swing with her scissor blade. She swung, and was intercepted. Sliding directly in front of Janus, Jarret raised his Fork Knife and parried Ryuko's attack. The girl screamed furiously and started slashing at him with overwhelmingly powerful strikes and unbelievable speed. Despite this, Jarret calmly stood his ground and deflected every single attack.

"Get out of my way!" She shrieked, winding up for a particularly powerful stroke.

Jarret dove under it, catching her scissor into his wicked blade and trapping it into the ground. He then followed by backhanding her in the face, pressing his advantage with several punches and kicks that drove her backwards. Ryuko seethed rage, striking at him ineffectually as he countered and pummelled her. Jarret then kicked her deftly in the chest, pushing her back several meters.

"Ryuko! We're about to lose control!" Senketsu warned her.

"I don't care! Senketsu Senjin!" Ryuko ordered. Reluctantly, Senketsu broke out into an arsenal of blades.

Ryuko charged in, and Jarret was forced back, tearing his Fork Knife out of the ground to help parry her attacks. Ryuko's blade clattered to the side before suddenly disappearing. Ryuko ripped and tore through the air, her savage strikes never coming into contact with her target. Once Jarret saw a break in her assault, he rapidly struck her in the knee, making her kneel. He followed with a quick uppercut into her jaw using the flat of his palm and then launched her back with a kick to her chest.

Ryuko growled, straining to get back on her feet. She was breathing heavily and her teeth were clenched in a hateful snarl. Ryuko hadn't taken notice, but during her fight with Jarret, teams of Gladiators and Enforcers were starting to reinforce their allies. She was about to charge headlong back at him when someone spoke from just behind her.

"I'm sorry, Matoi." She gasped when she felt a needle stab into her back. The soldiers in front of her suddenly began looking around as though they had lost sight of her.

"What the hell are… you… doing…" Ryuko stammered. She felt her mind becoming muddled and her eyes were starting to become heavy.

Ryuko's strained voice turned into nothing more than a near silent sigh as she collapsed, snatched up by Inumuta as he carried her away to the garage. He deposited her into the backseat of the car as it then accelerated rapidly and sped off as fast as it could. Satsuki fired up the bike not long after Inumuta showed up, and easily kept up with the car. The soldiers took notice of the vehicles when the tires began screeching, immediately starting to give chase.

"After them!" Janus shouted. The few soldiers that hadn't yet made a move quickly got themselves into gear.

"If you would like, ma'am, we have Bloodhounds on standby." Jarret offered. Janus spun around and smirked rather evilly.

"Well then don't just stand there. Go get them." Jarret nodded curtly and watched as she then made her way toward the convoy, issuing orders to the remaining forces.

Jarret turned and approached the rubble that Janus had mentioned. Upon arriving he saw one significant pile of debris that indicated someone might be buried beneath. He meticulously began unearthing the pieces, stopping only when he saw blood smeared on the ground. He let out a disheartened sigh, accelerating his search as he continued pulling away the wreckage. Pulling away the last few chunks of plaster, he frowned in confusion when he could find no body.

Mason was gone.


	20. Predator Pursuit

A quick call from Jarret to HQ resulted in the release of three specialised vehicles from the Century Security motorpool. These arrived in a timely three minutes to the raiding convoy that was starting to set up a quarantine area. The drivers parked the vehicles where the three replacement drivers were waiting patiently for their arrival. They were impressed by how quickly they got there, as the convoy had taken just under half an hour to make the same journey.

The vehicles were a derivation of sport bike, with a larger front fairing to accommodate a larger engine. The rear was also more complex in design, with an entirely new section added on that extended the bikes length by another meter. Additionally, this section had two tubular pods attached either side, both looking like plane engines. Lastly, the wheels of each bike looked excessively large, just short of the tyres used by large trucks.

"So these are Bloodhounds?" Lexi stared in admiration.

"Yep. They're still experimental though, so be mindful." Gale informed them.

The drivers stepped off, leaving the vehicles to the three Zealots. They each took their bike, igniting the engines to hear the satisfying roar of the beasts they rode. Either side of the rider's seat sat a convenient weapon holster, which each member slid their gun into. Leaning forward, Gale raised his hand and motioned forward.

"Haha! Let's go on a hunt!" Chase howled.

A slight twist of the accelerator resulted in each bike screeching with bloodlust as they surged forward in the blink of an eye. Chase's bike in particular reared up into a wheelie as he went, fist pumping in the air before coming back down on both wheels. Within just a few seconds, they were each moving at over a hundred and fifty kilometres per hour.

Weaving effortlessly through traffic, the bikes glided swiftly along, their riders with their heads down behind the windshields. The road was relatively light in traffic, though what few cars were around hampered their ability to move as a group. At a command from Gale, the other two split off and they began to sweep the streets, looking for the runaways.

"This is awesome!" Chase bayed animatedly.

Lexi grumbled into her mic. "How are we going to do this, Gale?"

"We want the targets alive. The bikes have been armed with airburst concussive rockets that can be manually detonated. The idea is that we shell them until their vehicles are wrecked, then apprehend them. Avoid firing with civilians in close proximity."

"Got it."

"As a last resort, can we shoot their tyres out?"

"Not a bad idea, Chase. Be my guest. Just don't miss and hit the occupants."

"Sir! I found them!" Lexi called over to them.

Without further invitation, the two accelerated and converged in on Lexi's position. She hung back, not giving her prey any indication they were being followed. After some planning, Chase began heading for a point ahead of their targets. Lexi grunted in frustration as the lights ahead of her went red, causing the other two sides of traffic to begin moving. She struggled to slip past, causing her to lose sight of the targets.

Unlike the other two, Gale had ridden one of the bikes during the earlier stages of its development. This gave him a distinct advantage in handling his ride. The very same thing happened to him, but he accelerated, narrowly squeezing between two cars as they blared their horns after him. The sound quickly disappeared as he picked up speed again, hurtling down the blocks within seconds. He then caught sight of a car being closely followed by a motorbike.

"I'm moving in."

* * *

Both Ryuko and Uzu lay unconscious in the backseat where the rest of their party sat cramped and uncomfortable. In the front, Gamagori was driving while Inumuta sat in the passenger. Soroi sat behind Inumuta with Shiro in the middle and Nonon opposite of him. Between Soroi and Shiro, Ryuko was propped up and sat like a rag doll. Uzu was strewn across all of them, with his head in Nonon's lap. On more than one occasion she suggested they throw them both into the back to make space, but Gamagori wouldn't let her.

After a while, Gamagori had slowed down, convinced that they weren't being followed. Satsuki slowed alongside them, simply following Gamagori while keeping an eye out behind them for pursuers. She had failed to spot the bike that had caught sight of them and then proceeded to pull back into the traffic. The sound of a roaring engine was growing ever closer, attracting the attention of civilians, followed by Satsuki and the rest. She barely managed to slow as the bike flew past between Gamagori's car and herself.

However, they all failed to notice that as the bike passed, a pair of objects were released from either side of the vehicle. These objects then sparked and their rockets ignited, sending them careening toward the car. Both came into close proximity before exploding into plumes of smoke. The blast waves caused the car to briefly stand on two wheels before violently crashing back down on all four.

"What was that?" Nonon said shakily.

Satsuki rolled up to what was left of Gamagori's window. He was still recovering from the sudden attack, the blasts having caused his ears to ring, and the windows had all shattered. She shouted for them to go, but it took a bit for Gamagori to be able to hear her properly. Gamagori's foot about broke the gas as the car flung forward and gradually picked up speed. Satsuki left a wide gap between herself and the car, keeping pace but watching for any further hit-and-run attacks.

They were taken by surprise when Gamagori emerged from an intersection only to find a strange bike parked up ahead. The rear plane engine looking pods then launched two objects, their rockets igniting and flying toward the car. They realised too late that the rider of the bike was one of the Zealots they had encountered earlier. Gamagori slammed the brakes, but both rockets struck their marks and the car spun out of control. Taking it in stride, Gamagori went back to the gas and spun the wheel, sending the car further out of control, but hurtling toward their assailant.

Satsuki stared wide-eyed as the bike that had just attacked the car then sped off, disappearing from sight with startling speed. She then watched another two rockets fly toward the car from the direction it had just left, striking the car again. The blasts caused it to come to a stop, angled awkwardly in the middle of the road, facing the sidewalk. Gamagori was forced to put it into reverse in order to get moving again, wasting precious seconds which their assailants could easily take advantage of their situation.

As if on cue, a pair of rockets sailed past Satsuki from behind, their blasts causing the car to flip and roll. The occupants cried out in surprise, struggling to stay in their seats and hold their unconscious friends in place. The car landed back on its wheels and quickly began accelerating down the road again. Satsuki wheeled around to spot the bike that had just fired at them. It was keeping at a distance, tailing them, keeping its eyes on them while the other two predators could attack or lay ambushes.

Satsuki gritted her teeth and turned around, heading straight for the bike at the rear. It spotted her and broke off, quickly leaving her sight. She predicted that it would re-join the chase while trying to lose her, so she turned around but let the car pull away. As expected, the bike reappeared not long after, several blocks ahead of her. As subtly as she could, Satsuki advanced on the bike, noticing that it slowed down and that the car was once again stopped.

Once she was close enough, Satsuki accelerated and managed to get side by side with the rider of the opposing bike. The rider turned to face her in surprise, twisting the handle to pull away again. However, Satsuki closed the gap between them and lashed out with her foot, kicking the rider in the shoulder and making them swerve off. The bike accelerated, careened, and lost control, coming to a stop as it slammed into a building complex.

Lexi had noticed Satsuki advancing on her, intent on using one of her rockets to incapacitate her. She hadn't expected Satsuki to throw herself at her, and subsequently she found herself spinning out of control at dangerous speeds. Her armour activated just in time as the bike crashed into the bricks, totalling it. She grunted with despair as she dragged herself free of the wreckage, head coming to rest on the damaged bike.

"Sorry boys. I'm out." She spoke dismally into her mic.

* * *

The car started back up again after having been struck by another ambush. This time, both bikes had waited on opposing sides of the intersection, firing when they were poised to pass. This resulted in both sets of rockets detonating either side of the car, causing it to lose control and spin out. It was a miracle they hadn't crashed into anything yet, but it seemed the traffic was thinning out the further they got to the edge of the city. This offered the attackers more manoeuvrability too, and gave them more opportunities to fire on them without risk of collateral damage.

Satsuki was just about to reach the car before one of the bikes flew past in front of it. The rider had drawn his gun and open-fired on it, causing a spray of bullet holes to appear on the hood and bumper. Not a moment later, Satsuki watched the same bike drift around the corner, speeding back up and closing in on the car. Satsuki drew Bakuzan and charged headlong at the bike. A couple seconds later, they passed each other, with Chase chuckling as Satsuki's sword had narrowly passed him.

The rider drifted around the corner, coming up alongside the car as he drew his gun and aimed it at the tyres. He pulled the trigger and watched as bullet holes formed in the side, but never hitting the tyres. The drag from the wind on both his arm and the bullets affected his accuracy, which he tried to compensate for. Gamagori suddenly turned into his path, threatening to sideswipe his ride, forcing him to break off. Sneering, Chase pulled the triggers on his bike to fire off a pair of rockets.

One of the rockets successfully launched, but the other had yet to leave the pod. He glanced down and his face dropped. The pod had a large cut through it and the rocket was jammed inside. Without warning, the rocket exploded in the pod and the shockwave made Chase cry out in alarm. All he could hear was a high pitched whine and his vision had gone hazy. He activated his armour and leapt off the bike, hitting the ground and rolling. By the time he had stopped and recovered, he looked over to see his bike on the sidewalk, wrecked.

"Son of a-" His shoulders sagged. He walked over to the bike, waving off onlookers as they offered him help.

He sat on the bike, one hand caressing its side. "Well, that was fun while it lasted."

* * *

Gale hung back, still pursuing Satsuki and the others from a safe distance. He had launched off the last of his rockets in a two-stage attack. First by firing a pair at the side of the car while drifting down the road and sharply turning the next corner. As he intercepted them, he launched another two directly at the front of the car. The rockets from the side followed by the rapid attack from the front forced the car to spin out once again.

While they were immobile, he planned on racing up and blowing their tyres out as Chase had suggested. It just so happened that the single rocket Chase had managed to fire landed on the road in front of him. Because he hadn't detonated it, its automated detonation sequence began ticking down. With the propulsion burnt out, the rocket lay still in the middle of the tarmac, like a landmine.

As fortune would have it, the rocket blew up as Gale was speeding toward it. The blast blinded him briefly, but failed to throw him off to the point of losing control. It paid off that he had prior experience with handling the vehicle. The blast would have undoubtedly attracted the attention of those he was tracking, so he swerved off and followed from another road running parallel. They knew he was still gunning for them, and so he would need to intercept them and manage to get off several good shots.

With a deep breath, he pushed his mount as fast as it would go, seeing his surroundings becoming a blur. Once he was satisfied he had made decent headway, he expertly skidded around the corner and started to close the gap. Unlike Chase's attempt at a drive-by, Gale let go of the handles entirely, sliding the gun free from its holster and turning to his left. Hefting the weapon up, it was only a few seconds later that he broke out in front of them, the car just a few meters away.

Gale sighted down, accounted for the factors that would influence his aim, then pulled the trigger. All of this within a few milliseconds before he took off down the opposite end of the street. Slipping the gun back in its holster, he whirled his bike around a full hundred and eighty degrees and returned to where he expected the car to have come to a dead stop. To his surprise, the car was still going.

Gale huffed with frustration, disappointed that he had missed the shot. Regardless, he could still drive alongside if he was quick enough. The car was nearing the border of the city, and beyond that he would lose precious space to perform hit-and-run manoeuvres. Without hesitation he pushed his ride to its limits, surging ahead and quickly coming up on his prey. Then without warning, the gap between them started to grow and he frowned in confusion.

There was a gargle and cough from his trusty steed. He looked down and groaned, a red flashing indicator next to his fuel gauge indicated that it was empty. He reluctantly steered the beast to the side, coming alongside the curb and slowing to a stop. Gale leaned back in his seat, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Of all the things…"

When he looked back up he could see that the bike accompanying the car had just emerged from around the corner he parked next to. Drawing the gun from its holster he stepped off and took several paces forward, taking aim. The girl was oblivious to him, and a shot through her leg or shoulder would certainly cause her to fall off, giving him ample opportunity to get her. He closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose, lowering the gun and turning away.

"It's over." He told himself.

Even if he could get her, his bike couldn't transport her, and reinforcements might take some time to arrive. Gale returned to his bike and gently stroked the front as if the beast could feel his touch.

"Did what we could, eh?" He stowed his gun and then sat on the seat, lazily tapping his communicator. "This is Gale. Targets escaped. Requesting pick up."

After spending a moment reflecting on the events that had transpired, a large grin spread across his face. Now that he thought about it, with all the fancy driving he was doing, he was bound to run out of gas at some point. Despite that, he could honestly say that it was, dare he say it, fun. A low chuckle escaped his lips, and by the time his escort had arrived he was grinning ear to ear, much to their confusion.

* * *

Despite Gale's assumption, his shot had struck the driver, just as he had intended. Had it have been anybody else driving, he might have gotten the desired result. Gamagori's steel armour that he wore underneath his Goku uniform had deflected the shot harmlessly away.

A few moments passed before Satsuki emerged next to the window beside him. They were starting to cross the bridge toward Konru now, and if they had any pursuers they would have no further opportunity to get the drop on them. Although it was unlikely, as Satsuki had spotted the remaining rider in the mirror of her motorcycle. He had come to a stop, on foot with his weapon raised, and then lowered it after a brief pause.

She assumed he wasn't confident enough to make the shot, or was accepting defeat. Whatever the case was, she was glad that they had given them some breathing room for the time being. The slowed down as they entered Konru, navigating toward the Mankanshoku's home.

Incredibly, both Ryuko and Uzu slept throughout the entire ordeal.


	21. Lone Wolf

Mason panted for breath, eyes searching the pitch blackness. The rubble had almost crushed him, but his armour held up and saved him. He desperately pushed and shoved the slabs of plaster, feeling them slowly give way. He grunted as he tried to lever a smaller piece to move one of the heavier portions of his tomb. He managed to shift it enough to gain proper leverage, groaning as he put as much strength as he could into moving it.

The piece of rubble gave, and he wedged the smaller piece in place to keep it up. Mason pulled himself out, gasping for fresh air. He stood slowly, wheezing as the smaller piece gave out and the pile collapsed in on itself, sending up dust. He shuffled his way back to the hole in the wall to re-join the fight. However, what he saw was Satsuki and Ryuko making a hasty retreat to the garage. With all the other Centurions between him and then, he was cut off.

He calculated that if he could make it to the front door and get out to the front gate they could pick him up from there. Turning away, he made a mad dash through the mansion. He encountered no resistance, figuring that they would have been attracted toward the fight on the terrace. He skidded around the corner, charging the front door as he flung it open and threw himself out.

Mason wasted no time hurtling down the path, ignoring his burning calves. He spotted a pair of fast moving vehicles speeding out of the mansion's garage. The car and bike roared down the road, going up to the front gate and weaving past unmanned APC's as they made their way onto the main road. Mason was no more than five meters from the front gate, hands raised and shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I'm here! Wait for me! I'm right here!"

Neither vehicle stopped, instead picking up speed as they streaked down the street. Mason slowed until he came to a stop, hands on his knees, gasping for breath.

 _They left me._  He felt chills across his body, heartbeat becoming unbearably loud.

 _They've abandoned me to save themselves._  He closed his eyes to stem the tears, but he couldn't hold them back.

 _Of course they did. What did you expect?_  Mason slammed a fist against thigh.

Mason gasped as he heard voices coming toward him. He looked to see a group of Enforcers heading his way, alerted by his yelling. He sprinted back to the mansion, diving back inside to break line of sight. He quickly decided that a back entrance would be his best bet of escaping unseen.

Mason didn't know of another exit to the building, but if necessary, he could make one. He started by putting as much distance between himself and those Enforcers. Mason ended up running into the hallway leading to Satsuki's room, stopping in his tracks as he spotted something red on the ground. He made his way over and felt his heart flutter when he spotted Ryuko's scarf.

Mason reached down and bundled the scarf up, taking it with him as he went to the doorway leading to Satsuki's room. On a tabletop to the side of the room, Mason found his hoodie, clean and no longer full of holes. He had an idea, slipping the hoodie on followed by the scarf around his neck. There was a cracked mirror nearby, and upon inspection, he figured he could pass for being a random citizen.

Mason spent another few minutes hunting for an exit, only to end up using one of the windows that some soldier had broken through. He snuck his way around the perimeter of the mansion, using trees for cover as he headed for the street. In the distance he could see a large crowd of civilians several blocks away. Centurions were positioned at blockades that prevented onlookers from coming near the mansion.

There was a low wall that continued on down the street that Mason could use for cover. Creeping up to it, Mason made his way across, peering over to check if he had cleared the restricted area. After a few minutes, he had slipped past the guards unnoticed. He looked over again and saw a group of civilians all clustered next to the wall. He approached and vaulted over the wall, landing behind them.

Digging his hands into his pockets, he pulled his hood over his head and walked as casually as he could manage. Moments passed without anybody taking much notice of him, their attention focused upon the mansion and dealing with unruly bystanders. He continued down the street and took the first turn he could, leaving their sight. He then broke out into a run, distancing himself from the area.

Once he was convinced he had gotten away, and not to mention out of breath, he slumped against a wall. His thoughts raced, immediately jumping to the worst case scenario he could possibly think of. They had abandoned him in the hopes the enemy would deal with him themselves. Perhaps they thought it was easier to let the Centurions kill him and save them the trouble of doing it themselves.

He clenched his fists when he realised it was an act of revenge. He recalled when he almost abandoned Satsuki in the Century Security raid. Now that the same opportunity presented itself, she had chosen to forsake him in a heartbeat. They probably didn't anticipate the uniform they gave him to have helped him escape. If nothing else, he was just a decoy, and the uniform meant he could occupy the enemy for longer, giving them a greater chance of getting away.

Did that mean Ryuko was in on this too?

 _Of course she was. They're sisters for crying out loud._ He reminded himself.

All that transpired yesterday was simply just to get him to lower his guard. That way he wouldn't expect it when they threw him to the wolves.

 _I should have realised she was too good to be true._  He thought bitterly.

Mason took a few minutes more to recover and calm himself. There was little point in thinking about the past, he reasoned. He needed to think about his next step. He considered heading back home, as he had nowhere else to go. He was thankful now that they hadn't let him pick up his things before coming to the city. He didn't have to worry about them knowing where he might be headed.

It would be a long walk, and he would have to avoid Century Security at every turn if they decided to come looking for him. But he didn't have a lot of choices right now. Without wasting another moment, he began heading toward Konru.

* * *

Ryuko's eyes slowly peeped open. Her vision was a blur, and she felt incredibly sluggish. She was trying to remember what had happened, but she couldn't think straight. There were footsteps approaching, sounding distant despite being right next to her. She looked up to see Satsuki, concern on her face, her mouth moving but the words weren't discernible.

Ryuko felt her head being tilted up, a glass of water at her lips. She drank slowly, the liquid slaking her thirst. Satsuki laid her head back down, waiting patiently for the drug to wear off. Before long, Ryuko's vision was clearing and she could start thinking clearly. The mansion was overwhelmed, Century Security had driven them away, Mason was gone…

 _Mason…!_  Ryuko hissed as she tried to push herself up.

She was in bed, and her surroundings looked familiar. Satsuki held both her shoulders, preventing her from standing.

"You're not fully recovered yet. Give it a minute." She said soothingly.

Ryuko shook her head. "Where is he? Did we find him?"

Satsuki's face fell. "It was too close of a call, Ryuko."

"You didn't even try, did you?" Ryuko glared.

"We barely got out ourselves. They sent several of these attack bikes to hound us all the way to Konru. We intend on going back for Mason, but not in our current condition. Nobody is in good enough shape to take Century Security head on at the moment."

"He could be dead by then." Ryuko sulked.

"Have a little faith in him. He's stronger than you might think." Satsuki offered a reassuring smile.

Ryuko glanced down at the floor, surprised that Satsuki had something nice to say about him for once. Then again, Senketsu had explained that she tended to act harshly with good intentions. That much was obvious from their time at Honnouji Academy. Ryuko then clutched at where Senketsu should've been on her body, but he wasn't there.

Ryuko gasped as she finally noticed she had been undressed, looking around panicked in search of Senketsu.

"In case you're wondering, I undressed you with the help of Mrs. Mankanshoku."

Ryuko suddenly recognised the room as Mako's. "Where's Senketsu?"

"He's in your room. Along with the others, Barazo is tending to the wounded."

The door opened behind them, catching their attention. "Ryuko!"

Ryuko gasped nervously as Mako launched herself across the room with open arms straight for her. She grunted when Mako landed, pushing her back down on the bed. She began to uselessly hit Ryuko's shoulders, eyes scrunched up and whining.

"We were so worried! You just left us without telling anyone! Then you showed up all unconscious and hurt!" Mako cried.

Ryuko patted her back and gave a weak smile. "I'm fine, Mako. Really."

"I'll leave you two alone." Satsuki stood and left the room, closing the door behind her.

She crossed the hall and entered Ryuko's room. On the floor were makeshift bedrolls where the Elite Four were all sprawled. Barazo was busy wrapping more bandages around Uzu, who had sustained the worst injuries. Gamagori was relatively unharmed, followed by Nonon, while Inumuta was looking only slightly better than Uzu.

Soroi was making himself useful in the kitchen, helping Sukuyo to prepare dinner. Meanwhile Shiro was tending to the Elite Four's uniforms, performing patchwork where necessary. The enemy's blades had done some significant damage to them, and were strong enough to counter both Bakuzan and Ryuko's scissor blade.

Satsuki leaned up against the wall where Senketsu hung, the uniform's eye looking in her direction.

"Is she…?"

"Mako's keeping her mind occupied for the moment. No doubt once she's had time to think, she'll be furious again." Satsuki spoke deadpanned.

"I see. It's best then she doesn't wear me while in this state of mind."

"Are you suggesting I hide you?" Satsuki gave him a ghost of a smile.

"I'll offer Ryuko whatever comfort I can. But we were just seconds from losing control. Again."

Barazo wiped the sweat off his forehead as he stood up, leaving Uzu to rest. "All done Miss Kiryuin."

"Thank you, Mr. Mankanshoku. I don't know how to repay you."

"Well a bit of money always shows gratitude," He hinted none too subtly.

"If the situation were different, I would gladly do so. Maybe another time."

Ryuko and Mako entered the room, with the latter rushing up to her dad and inspecting the injured.

"Nothing my back alley doctor of a dad can't fix!" Mako chirped.

Barazo laughed and fondled her hair, "Come along Mako. Let's leave them to rest. We should check if your mom needs our help."

"Great idea dad!" The two of them scuttled off, leaving Ryuko and Satsuki together.

Ryuko walked up, draped in a sheet as she stared grimly. "They'll be searching for him."

"I know. The minute we're back to full strength, we'll look for him. You have my word."

"He might not have that long." Ryuko said stubbornly.

"And how do you plan on dealing with Century Security alone if they catch you?" Satsuki challenged. Ryuko gritted her teeth.

"I have Senketsu. We'll deal with them no problem." She looked at the uniform with confidence.

There was an awkward pause.

"Sorry, Ryuko. But I can't go with you. Not right now."

"What do you mean?! Why not?" Ryuko stared dumbfounded.

"Your state of mind is too unstable. If you wear me, we may very well go berserk and wreak havoc across the city. That will only cause more problems for everyone."

"I will not! We're just going out there to find him!"

"And what happens if you find he's been taken prisoner. Or worse." Satsuki stated evenly.

"What are you saying? You think he's dead? You're only just thinking about this now?! It's your fault for leaving him in the first place!"

"You're letting your emotions get the better of you. If you went out there and something  _has_  happened to him, then we won't be able to support you."

"I don't need your help. Either of you." Ryuko glared.

"Don't be stupid."

"She's right, Ryuko. Your blood is going rampant at just the idea that something horrible has happened to him. You need a moment to calm down and think clearly."

Ryuko hated to admit that they were right. She hated feeling helpless. Satsuki reached out to grab her by the shoulder.

"We need you, Matoi." She said softly. "And you need us. Whether you like it or not."

Ryuko closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. "Fine. We'll do it your way." She turned on her heel and stormed out.

* * *

The Centurions were recalled back to headquarters after having thoroughly searched the building and confirming that it was cleared. With nothing of value to be found and all data pulled from any device they could find, they deserted the mansion. They left only a small detachment of guards to patrol the demolished building and deter looters.

Janus was walking down the hall toward her office, with Jarret just behind her. She felt odd, like some unknown concern was nagging at her, making her irritated and confused. She replayed the memory of herself beating Mason over and over again. She was certainly upset with him for what had happened with Jarret, but it was unlike her to retaliate the way she had.

Jarret noticed her silence, her movements were stiff and her face looked like she was in deep concentration.

"Is everything alright, ma'am?" He asked.

"I'm fine." She said crisply.

Now that she looked back on the entire event, she began to question why she even took Jarret up on his offer to release the Bloodhounds. As a result, two of the bikes were badly damaged and their riders were lucky to leave unscathed. Yet, when Jarret mentioned them, her thoughts strayed to how the Bloodhounds missiles would turn the meddling teenagers into messy stains on the tarmac. These ideas were contrary to the entire point of the siege, which was to capture them alive.

Jarret could feel the air grow thick with unease, and it was emanating directly from her. "Is something on your mind?"

"Do you think we should have just killed them?" Janus said ominously. Jarret stared at her in shock.

"Killed them? To what end?"

Janus suddenly spun around on him. "End the threat once and for all. As it stands, they could be recovering and preparing to move against us a second time."

"We know they headed to Konru, ma'am. We already dispatched several squads to scour the area for them." Jarret watched her expression change from anger to confusion.

"We did?" Janus whispered. "We did. You're right. I'm sorry."

Janus placed a hand on her forehead, eyes closed. Jarret was still stunned by the sudden shift in personality.

"No need to apologise, ma'am. I'm sure you're just stressed that things didn't go to plan. Come on, I'll make you a nice cold coffee."

"No. Really, Jarret. I'm sorry I snapped like that. I don't know what came over me." Janus shook her head and turned away to continue walking.

Jarret had the sudden inclination that maybe it would be unwise to follow. He cleared his throat loudly. "I'll get your coffee prepared in a moment."

"You do that." Janus replied nonchalantly.

Without another word he turned and hurried back the way he had come. Something was definitely wrong, although he couldn't discern a reason why. He hoped by the time she had her coffee she would be back to normal. Instead, she was silent the entire time she had her drink, which she practically sculled. After a beat she stood and dismissed him while he was mid-sentence, leaving before he could say anything further.

Janus stepped into her room, standing in the middle of it, wondering why she had come here. She didn't remember. It was just sort of impulse, or some strange feeling that she needed rest. She went to take her uniform off, but hesitated, her fingers on the zipper.

 _I can probably sleep in this, right?_  She shook her head and pulled the zipper down. She hadn't slept in uniform before, there was no reason for her to start now.

Once it was off, she hung it up and sat down on her bed. Janus felt a sudden pang of guilt. Why had she snapped at Jarret like that? She couldn't remember. She didn't remember their conversation, or even walking to her room once she left her office. She looked over to her uniform and had the urge to put it back on. She scowled and lay down, closing her eyes, trying to ignore the incessant temptation to wear it.

* * *

Mason had spent the day walking around, slowly navigating toward Konru. He knew food and water would be an issue, and without money he was forced to simply endure without. By nightfall, he had ended up in an alleyway where he was at relative peace, away from view. He figured it was wise to hide in case any Centurions were on patrol.

Despite how hard he tried to forget them, he clutched Ryuko's scarf around his neck. The smallest ember of hope burning. His fitful sleep was disturbed by the sound of footsteps. He narrowed his eyes at who he saw. It was the three punks that he had thrashed from the ice-cream store. They looked pleased, walking up to him armed with a bat, a knife and a crowbar.

"Look at what we got here." One of them said gleefully.

"Been following your punk ass for some time."

"Aw look. No girlfriend to back you up? What, she dump you after she realised what a freak you are?" Said the very thug Mason had used his Pain Surge on.

Mason sighed, standing up and approaching them. "I don't have time for this. If you want to beat me up, just get on with it."

"You heard him. He asked for it." The thug with the baseball bat encouraged his friends.

He made to swing at Mason, but it went overhead as he ducked and closed in, punching him in the gut. The thug was pushed back, but Mason grunted as the crowbar came down on his head. He staggered forward and the crowbar was put around his neck, holding him in a lock. The knife wielding thug approached, making fake jabbing motions in an attempt to frighten Mason.

 _Practise. Agony Strike._  Mason frowned as he heard the voice whisper in his head. He couldn't tell if it was just him recalling the words, or if it had actually spoken to him.

Noticing the lack of reaction from Mason, the knife wielding thug lunged at him. Mason gripped his captor's arms and hauled himself up, kicking the knife wielding teen in the stomach to send him back. Mason then elbowed the boy holding him in his side. The boy let out a short cry and his grip on Mason faltered. Shortly after, he slumped onto the floor, motionless.

The baseball bat thug wound back his weapon and made for an upward strike, but it went past Mason as he side-stepped. He grabbed the punk by the shirt, pulling him in and punching him in the face, sending him sprawling. The attack didn't register the same effect as it had on the boy holding him, however. The knifeman charged at him, Mason let the knife slide past and then shoved the teen backwards with a strike to the face using his palm. The thug let out a strained cry and fell to the floor, unmoving like his friend.

Mason had the sudden inclination of how to use it now. The bat wielder returned, swinging while howling furiously. The bat flew over his head and Mason gripped the thug's wrists, pulling him forward. While he struggled to regain his balance, Mason slammed his palm up into the punk's jaw. The effect was instant, a short gasp followed by him keeling over, unmoving.

When Mason rolled him over, however, he could see the thug staring at him in horror. Mason raised a finger before his eyes and waved it about, watching as the thug followed it with his eyes. It seemed he was only unable to move his body, though he was still conscious, unlike Pain Surge victims.

Mason looked around at the three limp bodies, then remembered how the Enforcer got back up. Realising that the teens would eventually recover, he left the alley as fast as he could. He ran a significant distance, losing his own sense of direction in the process. He found somewhere safe to hide, uncaring that it was a cramped corner between a bin and the wall.

The next morning, Mason groaned as he sat up, his body stiff as a result from sleeping in the discomfort of the confined space. He spent a while ascertaining where he had ended up last night. He cursed when he realised that he had backtracked by quite a distance. The day went by with his stomach unnecessarily reminding him how hungry he was every few minutes. Luckily, he found some water fountains to quench his thirst.

He had no idea how it happened, but somehow he ended up at the exact park that he and Ryuko had come to. When he consulted a map, he groaned in frustration after realising he had been heading in the opposite direction he thought he was going the entire time. He sighed in resignation and sat down on a random bench. He leaned forward and buried his face in his hands.

The scarf around his neck slipped and hung loosely, threatening to fall off. He caught it, stroking it softly. It suddenly reminded him of the time he spent with Ryuko. His face darkened and he took the scarf off, holding it out in front him. He contested the idea of getting rid of it, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he folded it up and stuffed it inside his hoodie where he didn't have to look at it anymore.

He leaned back, staring off into the distance. He tried to remember why he even accepted Satsuki's offer to come to the city. It was a rash move on his part, one that had ultimately led him back to being alone, with the addition of an entire paramilitary organisation hunting for him.

He lost track of how long he had been sitting there doing nothing. When he did return to the present moment, he realised that it was fairly dark. He looked up to see dark grey clouds culminating. He would need to find shelter if possible, otherwise he might be sleeping in the rain.

"There he is!" Mason' attention snapped toward the familiar voice. He spotted the three teens again.

 _Do these guys ever give up?_  Mason grumbled.

Behind them were even more thugs, all part of one big posse. They began heading his way, breaking out into a sprint. Mason leapt off the bench and hurtled down the street, taking random turns down alleys and side passages in an attempt to lose them. Mason gasped for breath as he ran into the nearest alley, having run for several blocks until his legs couldn't keep going. He leaned against the wall, trying to calm his racing heart.

There were voices shouting out not far from behind him. Mason cringed as his legs cramped painfully when he tried to take a step.

"He went this way!" One of them cried out from just around the corner.

 _How can they possibly keep this up? They must really hold a grudge._  Mason groaned as he managed to pry himself off the wall and weakly jog to another side passage.

Mason rounded the corner and immediately stopped in his tracks. It was a dead end. The passage opened up to a back alley with only a door at the far end. He ran up and tried it, but he only confirmed his suspicion that it would be locked. He turned in time to see the thugs running down the passage into the alley, most with crooked smiles and wielding some sort of weapon.

The three teens he knew all too well were ahead of the others, ten of them altogether. It seemed like they were all part of a gang. Mason assumed the older teen that stepped forward was their leader.

"Nowhere to run now little boy. I heard you messed with some of my guys. Twice."

"It's called self-defense." Mason spat.

"May as well call it suicide, 'cause we're going to make you regret ever being born!"

"Yeah! Let's get him!" Another cried out. They all began to advance on him, brandishing objects from knives to tire irons.

"Not quite a fair fight, don't you think?" They all whirled around to a voice calling out from the passageway.

A man stepped out of the shadows, a large smirk on his face. He wore a black leather jacket over a white T-shirt, slightly baggy jeans and sneakers. Mason recognised the voice and gritted his teeth.

It was the Champion himself.

"This is none of your business, chum. Beat it if you don't want to end up in a coffin."

Jarret scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You blind? There are ten of us, and one of you."

"Then I'd say you're at a  _severe_  disadvantage." Jarret grinned smugly.

Some of the thugs looked at each other with mocking looks.

"You know what punk?" The leader strutted toward him. "You just earned yourself a free ticket to the hospital. Get him!"

The punks advanced on him, snickering and smiling cruelly. Jarret casually reached into his jacket and produced his Fork Knife. The teens paused momentarily, eyeing the intricate looking weapon. They then gasped and recoiled in surprise as the weapon ignited and sizzled, shimmering with a red glow.

"Let's dance." Jarret grinned ear to ear.

One of them swung his tire iron, only to see it cut in two. Another thrust his knife, crying out as it got caught between the Fork Knife's blades and tossed aside. One by one, each of their weapons were sundered by the vicious knife. Once Jarret finished showing off, he began slamming the pommel into heads and breaking noses with haymakers. Some of the thugs even lost their lunch when he slammed his knee or fist into their guts. By the end of it, only the leader stood defiantly.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You got no chance against me!" The leader's voice shook as he tried to intimidate Jarret.

Jarret looked at him unamused. The thug charged him, drawing a switchblade and screaming in fury, only to gasp as the metal blade was sheared off the handle. He gagged as he was grabbed by the throat then slammed into the wall. Raising his Fork Knife, Jarret drove it into the wall just above the thug's arm. The boy struggled in Jarret's grip as the heated blade hissed just barely above his arm. He could feel the hairs there searing.

Jarret looked him dead in the eyes. "I'm Jarret Galda."

The name registered immediately with the thug as his eyes went wide and began tearing up. "Oh god! I'm so sorry! Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean it! I didn't know who you were! I swear!"

Jarret leaned closer, speaking in a whisper. "I'm going to let you and your friends go. But, should you try and seek out that boy over there again. Well…"

Jarret dragged the knife down so that the thug could feel the blade cooking his flesh. "I won't be so merciful."

Jarret abruptly backed off, flicking the knife around the thug in a wide arc over his head. The leader fell flat on his face, along with several bricks toppling on top of him, carved out from the wall by the wicked knife. The boy dug himself out of the rubble and hastily scrambled away, followed by the rest of the battered gang members.

Mason stared in awe. He could see where the knife had sliced through the bricks, as it left behind an orange glow. Jarret then turned his attention toward him, a large grin on his features.

"Hello, Mason."


	22. Paying It Forward

There was a low rumble in the sky and Mason felt several drops of rain hit him. He could see steam forming around the glowing red blade in Jarret's hand. There was a distinctive hiss as the water evaporated before it could even touch the knife. The red glow then dimmed, before disappearing entirely. Jarret stowed the knife back into his jacket, stuffing both hands into his jean pockets.

"We should go inside before it really starts coming down." Jarret remarked, looking up at the clouds.

"You're not going to try and kill me?" Mason kept his guard up.

Jarret raised both eyebrows in mock surprise, "Why would I do that?"

"Maybe because I'm your enemy?" Mason said quizzically.

" _Enemy_? Nah. Come on, let's get something to eat. I know this really great place!" Jarret hooked a thumb over his shoulder, giving him a friendly smile.

Mason couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jarret turned and started walking away, stopping at the end of the passageway.

"Are you coming or not?"

"I don't know if I should." Mason stated warily.

Jarret sighed. "Look, you can keep being suspicious while staying out here in the cold rain and starving. Or, you can hear what I have to say while having a hot meal. Your choice."

Mason's stomach chose that exact moment to grumble, and he mentally cursed at it.

"That's what I thought. Now come on." Jarret said gleefully, beckoning with one hand.

Mason reluctantly followed, maintaining his distance. He wasn't sure what Jarret's game was, but he wasn't buying the friendly façade he was putting up. They didn't have to walk far, as the diner was around the corner of the street. They made it just in time as the rain began slashing down, followed closely by the crashing of thunder.

When he walked in, Mason was surprised by the lacklustre appearance of the place. It looked more like a tavern than a restaurant, with wood being the prominent material that made up just about everything. Jarret was already speaking with one of the waiters and indicated a table in the corner, away from the other patrons. The waiter nodded and asked for his name. Sudden realisation dawned on his face, and he raced off behind the scenes.

Jarret waved Mason over to the table, taking a seat in the corner. Mason could see that Jarret was offering him the seat closest to the door. This surprised him, and worried him too. Either Jarret was very confident he could catch him before he got away, or he was certain that Mason would agree to whatever he had in store for him. Whichever it was, Mason knew that he had walked into a trap of some kind.

He slowly took his seat, eyes locked on the friendly face before him. They stayed silent until another waitress came over and placed two glasses down, filling them with water and leaving the pitcher for their convenience. Jarret took a swig, sighing contently.

"So, Mason. Tell me a little about yourself."

"Nothing to tell." Mason said stone-faced.

"I'm sure there is. No need to be nervous, I won't judge."

"How did you know where to find me?"

Jarret's shoulders sagged. "Would you believe me that I've known where you've been since the mansion incident? Had my team dedicated to following you."

Mason frowned. "I doubt that. You would have approached me earlier if you had."

"Oh no. You see, if I did, you would run. So I thought I'd wait for the right moment to make my intentions clear. Nothing says 'friend not foe' more than saving your backside."

"Well then I guess it worked." Mason said acidly. "You got me right where you want me."

"You make it sound like I've got you trapped." Jarret's brow furrowed. "Let me assure you, I'm here to offer you some opportunities I think you'll quite like."

"You seem optimistic."

"I am. I believe we can all get our own way and be civil about it."

"That so? How nice."

Jarret sighed heavily. "We don't need to be enemies, Mason."

"Then spit out whatever it is you have to say."

"Alright. You got two choices. One, you can leave all of this behind. I will provide you with a healthy sum of funds and even pay for your travel fares to wherever you want to go. You can live your life how you want."

Yet again, Mason couldn't believe what he was hearing. This strange man who he considered an enemy was proposing the most ridiculous thing he could possibly think of.

"Two. You can join up with Century Security. You've got real talent, and I don't know what's up with your curse, but I can tell it's pretty useful."

Mason corrected himself.  _This_  was the most ludicrous thing he could possibly offer him.

"How do you know about that?" Mason stared wide-eyed.

"Your friends sort of leaked the information to us when they tried hacking our systems. Not to mention I read every file we could find in the mansion. They recorded just about everything that involved you."

"Of course they did." Mason said bitterly. "Tell me, why would I join you?"

"Well, you would be useful to us. I'll be honest, that's mostly due to your curse."

"If you know so much about me, you would be aware that I'm a pathetic combatant."

Jarret gave him a lazy smile. "Give yourself some credit kid. You took on three  _armed_  gang members  _alone_. It's not like what your allies taught you was worthless."

"I only managed to get through that fight because of my curse."

Jarret shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that. You have the power, may as well exercise it."

Mason went silent, considering his point. He distinctly remembered the voice telling him to do the same thing.

"Besides having your uses, I also want to offer you the opportunity to stick around and learn the truth."

"The truth?" Mason frowned.

"Behind why your friends abandoned you."

Mason tensed at the thought. Jarret saw the slight motion and how his face darkened.

"I'm sure they had good reason. And I doubt they did it with malicious intent."

Mason turned a glare in his direction. "I'm not joining you."

Jarret nodded slowly. "Fair enough."

"But I will take you up on your offer to find the truth."

A smile crept up on Jarret's face. "I'm glad we could come to a compromise."

"That's all I want to know. Afterwards…" Mason hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"I'll let you think about it. Our food's here."

The waiter placed two plates on the table. One contained a steak with beer batter fries and leafy vegetables, given to Jarret. The other was a steaming bowl of soup with chicken and a small loaf of bread, placed before Mason. Jarret eagerly took his utensils and cut into the steak, taking a mouthful along with some vegetables. Mason hesitantly tried the chicken, but hummed in delight at the taste.

The two of them ate in silence for some time, enjoying their food. Jarret sighed contently and placed his elbows on the table, only a few fries left that he idly picked at. Mason had almost finished his meal too, with only a few scraps of bread remaining.

"So what can you tell me about your friends, if you don't mind me asking?" Jarret shrugged casually.

Mason thought for a moment. "There are eight of them. Satsuki, her butler, the Elite Four, a tailor, and Ryuko."

"I know of Satsuki and these 'Elite Four' members. Daughter to Ragyo Kiryuin, and her faithful warriors. Heard they aren't very friendly.

"They're not." Mason grumbled. "Satsuki's pretty harsh too. She wouldn't hesitate to kill someone if she had to."

"What makes you say that?" Jarret had picked up on Mason's subtle bitterness.

"I overheard them talking about what they were going to do with me once I stopped being useful to them."

"They were going to kill you?" Jarret deduced. "Surely not."

"I eavesdropped on them discussing it. Satsuki said it herself."

Jarret paused and shook his head. "I'll take your word for it. What about the others?"

"There's Ira Gamagori. He's all discipline. Threatened to hammer me into the ground if I got him the wrong tea."

Jarret raised an eyebrow. "Over  _tea_?"

"It was for Satsuki. He doesn't take too kindly if anyone displeases her. Same with Nonon Jakuzure, a real hot head. Uzu Sanageyama is cocky and headstrong. Then there's Houka Inumuta, tech savvy type that comes up with all sorts of strategies and plans, a know-it-all in my opinion."

"Probably the one that tried hacking us. Not as good as he thinks he is." Jarret said smugly.

"There's also Shiro. He made the Goku uniforms. It's what they call the clothes infused with Life Fibers."

"Ah yes. We call them Centurion uniforms."

"Thing is, Shiro was talking about how your tailors didn't do a very good job. They lack the experience of working with Life Fibers, and so your uniforms are flawed. Meanwhile, the ones he made are superior, according to the others."

"Didn't do them a whole lot of good though, did it?" Jarret snickered.

Mason shrugged. "Mine saved me from being trapped under rubble."

"Ah. So that's what happened. I was told you lot stole enough materials to make four and a half Tier Three sets. Did they give you the half?"

"Well, no. Shiro dissected one of your 'One-Star' uniforms and stitched a few more Life Fibers into it, along with a bunch of other stuff. Then they let me have it."

"That's nice of him. They obviously valued you enough to commit time and resources toward making you that uniform."

Mason hadn't thought of it like that. "I guess."

"What about the other two?"

"Soroi is Satsuki's butler, always making her tea and such. The other is Ryuko…" Mason's voice trailed off.

"Someone special?"

Mason looked up in surprise. "What gave you that impression?"

"I've seen that look before," Jarret smiled devilishly.

"Yeah, well. She didn't turn out to be too special after all." Mason said bitterly.

"And why is that?"

"She turned her back on me too. Ran off with the others, leaving me to fend for myself." Mason murmured.

A sly grin spread on Jarret's face. "Let me guess. Raven haired girl with the red streak. Big scissor blade. Wearing the super sexy Kamui?"

Mason nodded. "Yeah. That'd be her."

"I'll let you in on something." Jarret leaned in closer. "She went into that garage with the others, but not long after, she stormed right out. Started shouting your name. Demanding we tell her where you were."

Mason stared in disbelief. "Really?"

Jarret nodded. "Janus told her how you had been buried under the ceiling back at the mansion. Next thing I know, she's attempting to fight her way through us back toward the mansion."

Mason was speechless. His hopes had reignited, heart soaring.

"I'll admit, I had to fend her off. Then, without warning, she vanished into thin air. We saw the car speeding off and assume that she went with them. Afterwards, I came looking for you under the rubble, but you were already gone."

Mason was still reeling from the news that Jarret had provided him. "You say that she left with them?"

"Not willingly. She was pretty adamant about staying. If I had to guess, I would say they used that infamous cloaking to retrieve her. Probably through force."

 _Those bastards._  Mason seethed.

He could only imagine that they were holding Ryuko under duress, preventing her from coming to get him, all because they wanted him dead.

Mason thought for a brief moment, coming to a decision. "You guys are military, right?"

"Paramilitary. We operate similarly to, say, the National Guard. Our jurisdiction is within this city and surrounding areas."

"Would anyone object if I enlisted for a short period of time?"

"Not at all. Reconsidering my proposition?"

"Maybe. I can't stand the thought that Ryuko's being held against her will."

Jarret grinned widely. "Ah. And you'd like our help in launching a rescue mission, am I right? You want to save her all hero-like?"

Mason blushed and waved the idea away. "It's not like that. I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Don't worry. She can handle herself. Trust me. Though I can see you really want to help her out. So here's the deal. You won't be joining Century Security."

Mason's jaw dropped and he felt anger rising in his chest. "You just said-!"

"Instead. You'll be joining my squad, temporarily. We'll do everything in our power to help you out. We can provide you training so that you're ready to face them. It won't be easy, but if you're committed, you'll succeed."

Mason's heated tone vanished, and he felt strangely reassured by Jarret's words. "Just like that? No strings attached?"

"Absolutely. No catch involved. I'll even help you when the time comes. If you'll let me." Jarret flashed him an eager grin.

Mason was hesitant, but returned the smile. "Sure. If you're that eager, how can I refuse?"

"Welcome aboard Mason." Jarret raised his glass and clinked it against Mason's, drinking the last of his water.

Something was still bothering Mason, though. "Care to tell me why you're so willing to help me out? After all the stuff we've been through, that is. Plus, I'm basically a stranger."

Jarret eased back into his chair with a slow sigh. "Because you remind me of myself."

"How so?"

"Down in the dumps. Betrayed by your comrades. Nobody to turn to. You ask yourself: where did it all go so wrong?"

"I know where. My parents decided we would move to Konru. The house they bought practically broke the bank. They were confident their jobs could sustain us. They passed away a few weeks later."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Jarret said sympathetically.

"What about you?"

Jarret gave him a weak smile. "The day they told me I was being sent to a boarding school."

Mason leaned forward in his chair, listening attentively.

"Day one, I was a prime subject of bullying. Problem was, I was violent and headstrong. By the end of the week, everybody was scared of me. Two months later, the school informed me that my parents had died in a freak accident. After that, they sent me to a military academy for disciplinary purposes."

"I spent four years in service, top of my classes. Sent around the world, learning all sorts of fighting techniques and military tactics. Then one day, the troop I was in turned on me. I was awakened by one of them trying to strangle me, I about killed him and anyone else that touched me. Then the sergeant shows up and I got court martialled."

"I was kicked out onto the street with no home or family to turn to. You spent, what, Two days on the streets? I went two years, digging through trash cans and living in a cardboard box." Jarret smiled fondly, as though the memories were precious to him.

"Then, something amazing happened. A young woman and an older man are walking down the street I happen to be sat on. She looks down on me and stops, asking the older fellow for some money. She leans down and stuffs five hundred dollars in my hand and tells me to go get a proper meal. I just couldn't accept it though. So I followed them to give it back, and I stumbled upon a bunch of muggers holding them up."

Jarret's face suddenly dropped.

"I came to learn that the young woman was Janus Century, and the older man was her father. The muggers had stabbed him multiple times, and were about to kill her too. I stepped in and beat them senseless until their blood soaked the ground. Janus had called an ambulance, but her father didn't make it."

"Janus later thanked me for saving her. Told me that she would need to run a company called 'Century Finances' in her father's stead. Then out of the blue, she asked if I would like to help her with the job. I took it without hesitation. I didn't realise at the time that this was my second chance at life."

Jarret's grin returned and he looked up hopefully at Mason.

"Not a year later, Janus offered to investigate into the matter that got me booted from the military. Turned out that one of the seniors in the chain of command ordered my execution. My parents deaths wasn't an unfortunate accident either, this guy organised all of it. No reason as to why. Suppose I should thank him really, got me to where I am today. Janus wasn't thankful though, she had him removed from the military and incarcerated for life."

"She then investigated a bunch of related incidents and began recruiting anyone that had been wrongly removed from service. Within a couple months, she changed the company name and turned it into a paramilitary organisation that accepts voluntary ex-military personnel. Apparently she got the idea from me. Five years later and here I am. Still by her side."

"I suppose she's earned your utmost loyalty, hasn't she?"

"I owe her my life, and more. I owe it to her father. He died protecting her, and I know why. Because that woman is worth it. She's got a heart of gold and the world's best interests on her mind at all times."

"What about the incident involving, you know,  _us_." Mason hinted.

"She didn't want to hurt any of you. It just so happens that Satsuki's goal conflicts with her own."

Mason nodded slowly. "I see."

"That's why, Mason, I'm willing to help you. I've been there before, and it sucks. You just need someone to offer you a hand to pick you back up so you can get moving again."

Mason genuinely smiled. "Thanks. For the meal and your help."

"Don't thank me yet. We still have to save your darling girl." Jarret winked.

"I don't think it's quite like that." Mason blushed.

"Sure it is. Nothing wrong about it. Come on, I've got a car just outside waiting for us." Jarret stood and approached the counter, paying the bill.

While he was, Mason reached into his hoodie and pulled out Ryuko's scarf. He clutched it with new hope, wrapping it around his neck.

"That looks very comfortable and warm." Jarret smirked.

"It's not technically mine. It belongs to Ryuko.' Mason murmured.

"Ah." Jarret gave him a knowing grin. "Make sure not to lose it then."

The two of them walked out the door into the heavy rain and wind. They were met by two Zealots who were standing outside. Mason had no clue how long they might have been waiting there, but each was holding an umbrella above their heads. Even though they weren't powered up, they still looked incredibly intimidating, though much shorter.

"This way, Sir." Connor raised his umbrella over Jarret and himself while pointing to a white car by the sidewalk.

"Mr. Date?" Kahn asked, Mason immediately picked up on the Russian accent.

Mason nodded hesitantly. "Yeah. That's me."

"Follow me please." Kahn ushered him toward the car.

Mason did as he was asked and walked to the car, quickly getting into the back with Jarret. The Zealots slipped into the front seats and started the vehicle, moving out slowly into the traffic. Mason looked over to see Jarret grinning widely at him.

"Don't be too intimidated, they're real friendly once you get to know them." He assured.

The drive took all of ten minutes before they were pulling into the massive carpark beneath the towering superstructure. They exited and went into an elevator.

"Hold on to something." Jarret hinted to Mason, who gripped the railing on one side.

The others stood calmly as Jarret fiddled with a display that acted as the elevator's control panel. Suddenly the whole thing ascended with astonishingly fast pace. While Mason held on for dear life, the others stood casually, taking it in stride. The display that showed the current floor flew through the numbers by ten each second before slowing. As soon as the doors opened, they were confronted by an ugly sight.

Janus was standing over a serving girl, smashed glass scattered all over the floor. She was holding a gun and aiming it at the girl's head.

"How many times do I have to say it?! I hate my coffee hot!" Janus cocked the gun and her finger twitched on the trigger.

Jarret swiftly stepped in and redirected the weapon in her hands, aiming it at the floor. Just in time too, as there was a deafening  ***BANG!***  when Janus fired the pistol. She looked up sternly and seethed with anger.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! This incompetent wench deserves to die!" She spat.

"Woah, calm down! Please. There's no need for this." Jarret took the weapon from her. He could see from under her blazer she was wearing her uniform.

"I will not suffer fools! Get rid of her immediately!"

"Ma'am, I will fetch you your coffee. Just, please, calm down."

"You have five minutes." She hissed, spinning around and storming off.

Everyone stared in shock, while Jarret looked at her with concern.

"That's Janus?" Mason whispered in shock.

"She's a monster!" The serving girl sobbed.

Jarret leaned down to help the girl to her feet. "You alright?"

The girl shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "She was going to shoot me!"

"I think its best you stay out of sight for now. I'll see to it that you find someplace to work in the lower levels until this blows over." Jarret patted her arm reassuringly.

The two Zealots stepped forward and escorted the girl away, while other servants began cleaning up the glass on the floor. Mason stood by Jarret who was looking down the hall where Janus had disappeared to.

"Have any idea what that was about?" Mason queried.

"Janus hates her coffee hot, but she's never tried to shoot someone over it."

"Over her coffee?" Mason was briefly reminded of Satsuki.

"This isn't normal for her. I promise. She's just been off recently. I don't have solid evidence yet, but I have a sneaking suspicion about something." Jarret then faced Mason.

"Anyway, it doesn't concern you at the moment. You should make yourself at home for now. Just down that hall, pick any room you want." Jarret indicated the hall opposite the one that Janus had went down.

"Inside you'll find an interface on the wall, when you're ready to start training tomorrow, just put my name into it and it'll call me. For now, I better get her coffee before she tries shooting someone else."

Mason nodded and watched as Jarret hurried off, leaving him alone. He went down the spaciously wide hallway, passing by a couple doors to his left before stopping at one. The room he chose was impressively large, with the doorway being near the corner of the room. The far wall looked to be made of entirely glass and let him see outside the building to the streets below. He looked out and reeled at how high up he was.

On the wall to the left of the entrance was a screen. It reminded him of the elevator controls in that it seemed to project out from the wall like some space-age display. Mason assumed this was the interface that Jarret spoke of. He went up to investigate and the screen flashed, a bunch of icons rolling in from one side of the projection.

Mason selected one labelled 'music'. Lo and behold, a list of genres, artists, albums and more appeared. He stared in awe before returning back to the menu screen. Once he stepped away, the interface automatically dimmed and went blank. On the wall opposite the screen was a bed that was situated relatively close to the door. He dropped down onto the soft white sheets, and unintentionally drifted off to sleep.


	23. Apex

Ryuko awoke, confused as to why it was still dark outside. She turned to gaze at the clock sat beside Mako's bed. Three o'clock. She groaned and rolled back over, pulling her blanket up to her chin. She lay on the floor just beside Mako's bed, who was snoring loudly with her mouth wide open. Ryuko tossed and turned, scowling as she couldn't get back to sleep no matter how hard she tried.

She huffed with frustration and threw the blanket off, pulling on her jacket, jeans and sneakers. She was going out of her mind with all this waiting around. She snuck through the house, headed to the front door and slipping out into the night. She shivered as the cold air nipped at her exposed face and neck, suddenly wishing she hadn't forgotten her scarf back at the mansion. She stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and walked at a brisk pace to warm herself up.

Eyes cast down, her thoughts raced with all the possibilities of Mason's situation. He might be fine, like Satsuki said. Or, they might be torturing him for information. Her thoughts followed that trend, imagining more horrible things that could be happening. Ryuko frowned, shaking her head free of such oppressive ideas.

 _Satsuki's right. How little faith do I have in him?_  She scolded herself.

When she learned about his past, her initial impression was that conflict would be completely foreign to him. Yet later that day, he didn't hesitate to step in and deal with the muggers that had come after them. Not only that, but he also fended off two Enforcers on his own and then saved her from a Zealot. Such a feat was impressive, considering that he had only a few days training from Satsuki and the Elite Four.

There was one thing she had forgotten to account for too. He had that curse. It gave him an enormous advantage; to turn his own pain into power. Even if what that woman had said was true, the resulting injuries would have only made him stronger. Moreover, those injuries would cease to exist the second he struck someone with that Pain Surge.

It was now apparent to Ryuko why Satsuki wanted to earn his complete trust. Having someone that was essentially immortal and held infinite power was a significant asset. By giving him the Anguish Raiment, they ensured that he could harness more power at will, even if the enemy was wise enough not to attack him. No wonder Satsuki was so confident that he would be okay.

Now that she had thought about it, Ryuko realised he wasn't as helpless as she made him out to be. Suddenly the idea of him battling his way out and evading capture was more sensible than her previous pessimistic predictions. She doubted even the infamous Four-Star could withstand being struck by a Pain Surge. A small smile crept onto her face as she played the thought out in her head.

 _Hang in there Mason._  She silently prayed.

Ryuko had been wandering aimlessly, or so she thought. She looked up to see the familiar sight of Mohawk's Magazines ahead. She stopped just outside, wondering how Tsumugu was doing while she had been away. Her thoughts were disrupted when the door swung open, the man himself stepping out.

"What are you doing up so early?" Ryuko asked in surprise.

"I could ask the same of you, Matoi." Tsumugu sounded deadpan as ever.

"Couldn't sleep." Ryuko shrugged.

"You know you don't work until eight o'clock, right? It's four in the morning."

Ryuko rolled her eyes. "I'm aware." In truth, she had no idea an hour had gone by already.

"Regardless, I could use your help sorting out the shop. I'll pay overtime." Tsumugu stepped aside to let her in.

"Sure," Ryuko headed in. If anything, this would be a nice distraction.

She immediately set to work, sorting through things that were misplaced or disorganised. Tsumugu worked on the opposite side, both working in complete silence, until he couldn't help but ask.

"What did Satsuki need you to do that was so important?"

"Oh, well… She was in trouble." Ryuko said idly.

"Life Fibers I assume?"

"Yeah. This company called Century Security made pseudo Goku uniforms and were causing her some trouble."

"I assume you dealt with them then? I doubt they would stand a chance against you and your Kamui." Tsumugu sounded sincere.

"Not quite…"

"Does Satsuki have the situation back under control?"

"Uh, no… We were forced to flee. I mean, they attacked and we had no choice but to get away." Ryuko stammered.

Tsumugu immediately stopped and faced her. "I think you better tell me everything."

Ryuko went about explaining the attack made by the Centurion forces. She outlined their face down with the Four-Star, the Elite Fours injuries and how they even had to abandon Mason. She looked down guiltily at that last part, only to find a familiar romance comic in her hands. Her grip on it tightened as she focused on the positive thoughts she had earlier.

"It sounds like you need our help then." Tsumugu commented.

"You would have to take it up with Satsuki. We're waiting for the Elite Four to recover before making any moves. The Mankanshoku's are providing us shelter for the time being."

"These guys must be pretty good to have beaten the Elite Four." Tsumugu smirked to himself. "And how does a Four-Star overpower both you and Satsuki combined?"

Ryuko thought for a moment and wondered the same thing. "I guess he just caught us off guard."

"I'll make a call to Mikisugi. Expect a visit sometime around breakfast."

"I'll let Satsuki know."

Tsumugu took the magazine from her hands and propped it up on a nearby shelf. "I can handle the rest from here."

Ryuko nodded and he escorted her out, locking the door behind her before heading into his office. She ambled back toward the Mankanshoku's home and returned by six o'clock. She sighed, condemning time for how slow it could move when she was feeling impatient. Heading for Mako's room, she figured she should try sleeping again, but came to a stop upon seeing someone standing outside the door, barring her entry.

"Where have you been?" Satsuki glowered.

"Jeez mom. I just went out for a walk." Ryuko returned her unpleasant tone.

Satsuki visibly relaxed. "In the event you had any crazy ideas, I went ahead and hid the keys to the vehicles."

Satsuki produced a pair of keyrings on her pointer finger from inside her coat. "If you were out any later, I would have personally gone out to find you."

Ryuko gave her a cocky smile. "I doubt you could've stopped me."

"If I had to, I would put on Senketsu. He would likely side with me and help bring you back home, even if that meant you were bruised and beaten." Satsuki was intentionally plucking at Ryuko's nerves.

"You know how well that turned out last time. I wouldn't even need Junketsu this time around." Ryuko took up her challenge.

"Is that so? Perhaps we should take this outside then and find out." Satsuki grinned.

"You're on." Ryuko felt the adrenaline pumping now.

Both girls shadowed into Ryuko's room and picked up their respective gear. By the time they were outside, Satsuki was armed with Bakuzan and wearing a rather reluctant Senketsu under her coat. However, once she whispered her plan to him, he suddenly became very supportive of their duel. They ventured to a secluded place to avoid any chance of collateral damage.

Within moments, Satsuki had transformed, and the fight flung into full speed. Blades arcing left, right and center, with the occasional grunt or groan as they landed kicks and punches into one another. Senketsu was very clearly holding back, even though the lack of synchronicity between him and Satsuki put them at a disadvantage. Satsuki was also intentionally holding back, smirking whenever Ryuko jibed that she was losing her edge.

They purposely refused to actually cause one another harm, but the exercise was no less vicious. Already Ryuko was panting with exhaustion, unaware of how much time had passed since they began. Satsuki looked perfectly fit, though she guessed that Senketsu was partially responsible. She had an inclination that Satsuki might have been waiting for her to tire before pressing her own attack. Ryuko gripped her scissor blade a little tighter in anticipation, preparing for the assault.

"At this rate, had you made good on your word to find Mason without us, you would have been captured and failed him." Satsuki remarked.

Ryuko's attention was instantaneously broken. "What?"

"Without Senketsu, you don't stand a chance against Century Security. You couldn't save your precious friend. Not then, and certainly not now." She was pressing buttons not meant to be pressed.

Ryuko growled in annoyance. "Screw you! You're saying that like it was  _my_  fault!"

"Because it is. You let a mere Four-Star get the better of you. That's why he isn't here right now. Your failure has resulted in grievous injury to my Elite Four, and the death of your boyfriend."

"To hell with you!" Ryuko snarled, teeth bared. All the chaotic emotions she had been bottling up until now engulfed her.

"Hmph." Satsuki braced herself.

Ryuko charged forward, screaming as she threw all she had at Satsuki. She was gaining momentum with each strike that ricocheted off Bakuzan, quickly becoming a blinding flurry of red. Her frustration and anger poured out through her voice and savage swings, uncaring about the possibility of dealing a lethal blow to either Satsuki or Senketsu. Both were no longer holding back as they deflected each of her attacks, and the ease with which they were doing it drove Ryuko deeper into her fervent rage.

Ryuko hadn't noticed, but the ferocity of her attacks was starting to decline. A slight ache in her arm was beginning to inhibit the speed with which she could swing her scissor blade. Her breathing had become rapid and shallow, and beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. It turned out her earlier assumption was correct.

Ryuko gasped as she felt an impact in her midsection. Satsuki diverted her scissor blade away, flicking it from her grasp and kicked Ryuko in the chest, sending her flying back. She landed on the grass with a soft thud and grunted, ragged breaths passing her lips. When she tried to get up, she was pushed back down by Satsuki, who planted her heel on Ryuko's belly. With reluctance, Ryuko settled on the ground and waited for Satsuki to give her a lecture.

"Feeling better?" Satsuki asked.

Ryuko peeped one eye open to see Satsuki smiling softly. Once the excitement had calmed down, she was starting to feel the aches in her body from overworking herself.

"I'm feeling pretty awful, actually." Ryuko grumbled.

"Do you feel better after venting though?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The entire purpose of this duel was to let you release all your repressed emotions. Clearly, you were very upset." Satsuki lifted her foot off and Senketsu powered down.

"What are you, my shrink?" Ryuko slowly got up.

"No. But you let your feelings distract you. If you didn't, you would have beaten me." Satsuki remarked.

"We intentionally provoked you into this, Ryuko. If you let your temper get the better of you while wearing me, the entire neighbourhood would most likely have been levelled." Senketsu added.

Ryuko felt a pang of guilt. She looked over toward the Mankanshoku's house, knowing that they would have been a victim of such a rampage.

"Such distractions have led to you making reckless decisions. I'm namely referring to your actions at the mansion. Had Inumuta not intervened, you would have most certainly been captured. We can't afford that. You're too important to lose." Satsuki continued.

"But Mason isn't? Is that why you were so quick to write him off?" Ryuko frowned, staring in disbelief.

"I made a calculated decision. Century Security isn't well informed about his curse. It's unlikely they would do anything besides lock him up. However, if they got their hands on you, who knows what they might do with your Kamui and scissor blade."

Ryuko's gaze fell as she heeded Satsuki's logical arguments.

"And just so you know, I take back everything I said earlier, about it all being your fault. In truth, it was just an unfortunate incident. I didn't want to leave  _anyone_  behind, but I was forced to choose between him, or all of us."

"Sorry." Ryuko said in a low voice. "I didn't mean to place all the blame on you…"

"I forgive you. Just make sure you keep a level head, I need your help to beat that Four-Star. Of course, now they know that Mason is a sensitive subject for you, it's likely that he might try and provoke you using that information."

Again, Ryuko felt a twinge of guilt for having run her mouth so thoughtlessly back at the mansion.

"Chin up. I'm sure your boyfriend would hate to see you so depressed." Satsuki teased.

Ryuko blushed furiously. "He is not my boyfriend!"

"You sure treat him like one." Senketsu added playfully.

"Shut it, you dishrag." Ryuko glared into his one good eye.

"Teasing aside. We don't know that Mason  _is_  in trouble. So for now, we will assume that he is perfectly fine. In the immediate present, we have wounded to look after and plans to make." Satsuki said seriously.

"Yeah. You're right. But, couldn't you have just set me straight without an ass kicking?"

"Sometimes, Ryuko, the only way to get a message across to you, is to beat it into you." Satsuki smirked.

"Jeez, thanks." Ryuko said sarcastically.

"We should head back before someone starts to worry." Satsuki turned and fetched her coat. "You can have Senketsu back, by the way."

Ryuko averted her eyes as Satsuki nonchalantly took Senketsu off and wrapped her coat around herself. She passed him back to Ryuko and began to head off.

"Satsuki. Wait." She stopped in her tracks and turned her head.

"What is it?"

"Earlier, on my walk, I was talking with Tsumugu about what happened. He and Mikisugi are going to see us sometime soon."

"Good to know you did  _something_  productive while you were being moody." Satsuki smirked, continuing toward the Mankanshoku's home.

Ryuko pulled a rude face and poked her tongue out at Satsuki from behind her back. "I was  _not_  being moody."

"You were, actually." Senketsu stated.

"How dare you! I was not!"

"You were."

"Was not!"

"You were getting overly emotional. I didn't even have to taste your blood to know that."

"Whatever." Ryuko folded her arms, staring sternly at him. "You're lucky I wasn't trying to rip you to pieces earlier."

"You came very close. While you were being  _moody_." Senketsu snickered.

Ryuko gave him a death glare. "Give me one reason not to cut you up  _right now_."

"Because you can't. Satsuki has your scissor blade."

Ryuko's eyes shot up in surprise, looking around for her half of the scissors, though she couldn't spot it. Looking over to Satsuki, she saw something red poking out from the bottom of her coat, just as she disappeared from sight. Ryuko returned her glare back to Senketsu, pouting when she saw his smug expression.

"Consider yourself  _very_  lucky."

"Let's hope that luck holds up when we come face to face with the enemy again."

"About that. Tsumugu asked me a very good question about our fight against the Four-Star. Were you holding back at all? We should have easily torn him to shreds."

Senketsu thought for a moment. "I was not. But I will admit, he did put up a hell of a fight."

"Then explain how he can wear a uniform that's not even  _half_  your total power and still be capable of keeping up with the both of us and Satsuki combined."

"I can only conclude that he must be as strong as we are while synchronised, even without his uniform. Though, not to alarm you, if anyone  _was_  holding back during that fight, I would say it was  _him_."

"You're joking.  _Right_?"

"Remember what Shiro said? Their uniforms are purely defensive, with only a minor strength enhancement. His speed and skill is characteristic of his actual talents, and as far as I could tell, he wasn't even breaking a sweat."

"That's crazy! The way he fought was practically inhuman! And you're telling me that he was hardly even trying?"

"Indeed. It will be a challenge to come out victorious if we have to face him again. That's why it was so important that you release all those emotions in the best way you knew how. Satsuki needs you at peak performance to pull this off."

Ryuko sighed, nodding. "Well, we better not keep everyone waiting. I'm sure our Nudist Beach friends will be here soon."

She held Senketsu close as she walked back to the house. Upon entering, she could hear Mikisugi and Tsumugu's voices coming from the dining room to her right. She rounded the corner to find that they had already arrived and Satsuki was already conversing with them.

"I'm surprised our esteemed Lady Satsuki here was sent packing with her tail between her legs." Mikisugi smiled charmingly.

"I'll admit, we underestimated our opponent."

"So now it's our turn to help. I still don't get why you didn't ask for us in the first place." Tsumugu said with annoyance.

"Your organisation is resourceful, but it would have caused a clash with Century Security. The outcome could have attracted a lot of attention, and we might have been labelled as terrorists."

"Obviously, media attention is the last thing we want." Mikisugi agreed.

"How do we avoid this clash then? If you plan on laying siege to these guys, it's almost unavoidable." Tsumugu shrugged.

"I've spoken with Inumuta about this, and we agreed that forcing them to come to us would be our best option."

"Lure them into a trap, eh?" Mikisugi deduced.

"Do either of you have any ideal spots where we can take this that won't involve civilians?"

Mikisugi and Tsumugu looked at one another, shrugging. "No, unfortunately."

"Then we'll have to sort something out. In the meantime, prepare your equipment. I would like to see what you have as soon as possible." Satsuki's gaze diverted from one to the other.

"I'll do what I can." Mikisugi nodded.

"Been waiting to get back to the  _real_  job." Tsumugu snuffed his cigarette and stood.

"I'll meet you at the store, Tsumugu." Mikisugi called after him as he walked out of the house, passing Ryuko on the way.

"I take it you are staying for breakfast?" Satsuki asked.

"If you wouldn't mind. I'm famished." Mikisugi gave her his classical, salacious grin.

Ryuko slipped past into Mako's room, who was still fast asleep. It gave her the chance to change into Senketsu, who was more than happy to be worn again. When she went back outside, Sukuyo was heading into Ryuko's room with a large platter carrying a mountain of food. The Elite Four were all up, talking amongst themselves, looking much better than they had the previous day.

Ryuko headed for the kitchen to find Satsuki and Mikisugi still talking about the finer details of their plan. They kept their tones low, though she could still barely make out what they were saying. She jumped at an unexpected voice calling from behind her.

"Ah, Ryuko! There you are. Would you like to help me with the cooking?" She spun around to see Sukuyo walking toward her, smiling pleasantly.

"Sure thing." Ryuko grinned back. Whilst she busied herself, she couldn't help but listen in on the conversation between Satsuki and Mikisugi.

"Tsumugu still has a stock of Life Fiber jamming rounds in his shop."

"Good. That will be useful for incapacitating some of their forces."

"I take it you still have the Tailor's daggers?"

"We lost one. Though we have the other."

"And with your Goku uniforms, that should be plenty enough to deal with them."

"Not against the ones we fought. They're something different."

"I'm sure Tsumugu will think of something when I tell him the details."

"So long as you and the Elite Four can keep those five particular soldiers occupied, Ryuko and I can deal with the bigger threat."

"You're really taking this Four-Star guy seriously."

"He's beyond anything I've met. Nothing less than the both of us can bring him down."

"We know how powerful Ryuko is though. I'm certain she can take him down."

 _At least someone has faith in me._  Ryuko smiled to herself.

"The only reason I'll be there is to give her the opportunity. We don't have anything to counter his weapon." Ryuko remembered the fiendish Fork Knife that he used.

"What about Mason? Tsumugu said that you had to leave him behind."

"We did. I doubt he's dead, but if he didn't get out in time, it's entirely possible they have him."

"Have you considered…"

Ryuko frowned when his voice suddenly dropped. She subtly leaned her head closer to try and focus in on their voices. They had in fact gone silent for a brief moment, with Mikisugi making vague gestures to get his message across to Satsuki. Her brow furrowed when she caught on to what he was getting at.

"I have." Satsuki said with a dark tone.

"What happens then?" Mikisugi replied.

"Heaven help us all."

* * *

Mason woke with a start, startled by the unfamiliarity of his surroundings. As soon as he recalled the events that had occurred the previous night, he relaxed. He took a moment to consider his situation, questioning his judgement to align himself with these people. It was a naïve gamble, though he was certainly no stranger to such decisions. He couldn't be certain that Jarret would stay true to his word, but he seemed genuine enough.

Mason climbed out of bed, heading for the door. He made his way down the hall toward the elevators, then took a left and followed it until he came to a room that looked similar to a bar. A servant that he recognised from the night before stood behind the counter. He looked up with a bright smile upon noticing Mason. The servant placed the glass he had been cleaning down on the counter and stood attentively.

"How can I help you, Sir?" The servant spoke with a faint British accent.

"I was just getting acquainted with the area."

"Ah, I see. If you would like, I could give you directions?"

"That would be helpful."

The man set out describing the different places around the floor they were on. Mason learned that the floor he was on was for guests and offered a wide variety of services. One of which was a shower, which he deliberately noted down its location.

"May I ask what you might like for breakfast, Sir?"

"I'm, uh, not sure. What would you suggest?"

"I can prepare you some French toast and eggs. Would that be acceptable?"

"That sounds good to me. I'll be back though, I'm going to have a shower first."

"Of course. By the time you return, your meal will be ready." The servant beamed.

"Thank you very much."

Mason quickly headed off to clean up. Conveniently, he ran into another servant who offered to take his dirty clothes and wash them. Mason handed them over in exchange for some spare clothes that the servant had kindly fetched from his own wardrobe. By the time Mason had returned to the breakfast bar, he found his meal on the counter, along with several containers and a glass cup. Opening the containers revealed a selection of different drinks to choose from and spreads that he could apply to his toast.

After wolfing down breakfast, he returned to his room and used the interface to call Jarret, who immediately picked up.

"Jarret speaking." The voice came out crisply through the interface's speakers.

"It's Mason. I'm ready to start that training you spoke of."

"Ah, Mason. Excellent timing. Head on to the elevator and go up two levels, then head down the hall straight ahead of you. At the intersection, turn right and look for the sign that says 'Training Room'. I'll see you there."

The call dropped and Mason let out an anxious breath. He followed Jarret's directions, spotting the sign hanging above the door. He knocked before stepping in, finding Jarret standing before the five Zealots and a man in a white lab coat. He looked every bit the cliché scientist, with a clipboard in one hand and an assortment of pens in the breast pocket of his coat. He appeared to be exceptionally young, with spiky dark-brown hair and brown eyes.

"Ah, Mason. Good of you to join us. Close the door, if you would." Jarret seemed nervous.

Mason did as he asked and stepped closer when Jarret beckoned him over. "What's going on?"

"We have been discussing recent matters. Rather sensitive stuff I'd prefer not to share with anyone but those present in this room. Speaking of which, I'd like you to meet Dr. Tynan." Jarret indicated the doctor who smiled pleasantly and extended his hand.

"Mason, is it? I've read a great deal of things about you."

Mason took his hand and shook it awkwardly. "You have?"

"Yes, your dossier is very detailed. I have spent quite some time studying the notes on your curse. It is quite a fascinating power that you wield."

"Uh, thanks?"

"Back to the discussion we were having. Dr. Tynan and I have been investigating the sudden change in Janus' personality, which I'm sure you have all noticed."

"We have, Sir. At first it was uncommon and fairly random. But it has started to become more frequent as of late." A grizzled looking man spoke.

"I don't know what's gotten into her, but I have a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with her uniform." Jarret looked to Dr. Tynan for confirmation.

"Yes. Janus requested the uniform personally. She specified that it contain as much Life Fiber material as our tailors could stitch into it. The result was a uniform made of seventy percent Life Fibers. She asked me not to tell anyone, though I think we are past the point of keeping promises, particularly when lives are at stake."

"That's well beyond the safety limit. I can just barely wear a Tier Four Centurion uniform, but Tier Seven? She should have lost control upon wearing it." Jarret scratched his chin in thought.

"I speculated the very same outcome, Mr. Galda. Though I was just as surprised as you are when the uniform made no attempt whatsoever to overpower her."

Jarret seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. His brow furrowed and he hummed softly.

"I wonder… Do you remember our conversation about my uniform, doctor?"

"I do. You informed me of what you believed was the uniform developing a consciousness depending on the total percentage of Life Fiber content. Unfortunately I couldn't find any evidence to support that in Ragyo's notes. I also have no means by which to test your theory, without resorting to ethically questionable means."

"I could help with that. I, uh, think." Mason nervously chirped.

Jarret raised his eyebrows. "Go on." Everyone was looking at him curiously.

Mason gulped and hesitantly continued. "During my time spent with Satsuki's crew, I was talking with Ryuko, the girl who owned the Kamui. She told me that  _he_  was  _alive_ , and it even moved of its own accord. She even went as far as  _talking_  to it just prior to an engagement with some of your One-Star's."

"We are aware that uniforms beyond thirty percent begin to exert some control for themselves. However, the  _rest_  of your intel is intriguing." Dr. Tynan spoke whilst writing notes.

"Does that help you at all, doctor?" Jarret looked at him.

"It fits with your theory, Mr. Galda. Perhaps the uniforms  _do_  exhibit self-awareness that continuously develops as more Life Fibers are added. It sounds like this young lady is capable of not just interacting with her uniform, but also  _communicating_  with it. Though it is puzzling why she has assigned it a gender, of all things. I must ask, Mason, did you hear it respond to her?"

Mason shook his head. "No. I didn't."

"Interesting. It is unfortunate that I cannot examine this Kamui for myself. But, using what information we have, it's theoretically possible that a uniform develops higher order thought processes as more Life Fibers are added. Put more simply, the more Life Fibers there are, not only does the uniform become stronger, but also more intelligent."

"You're saying our uniforms are going to outsmart us, doc?" Jarret jested.

"I cannot say for sure. But maybe that's why thirty percent is the threshold. Anything of that quantity or below could be the equivalent of a vegetative state for Life Fibers. We would still benefit from their enhancing qualities, without the added detriment of them being able to make decisions that contradict our own."

"I think we've come to the conclusion that Janus' uniform is up to something. The question now is what? And what could it possibly be doing to her that's making her act this way?" Jarret looked around as though expecting someone to answer. Obviously, everyone else looked straight at Dr. Tynan.

"I cannot give a verdict on the former. However, I will see to asking her for a blood sample. Maybe there's something I can find there that could be responsible for her recent aggression." Dr. Tynan suggested.

"Good idea. Now, I think we should move on to the real reason we're here." Jarret turned to Mason.

"Ah yes. I've been looking forward to this all morning." Dr. Tynan's face lit up.

"I've brought my team in to assist with your training, Mason." Jarret indicated the five standing in a row before them.

Each of them gave a courteous nod of acknowledgement in Mason's direction.

"Dr. Tynan will also be with us, observing your progress. He has devised a plan on how we should approach your training."

"There are a number of tests I would like to run." Dr. Tynan turned his attention to Mason. "With your express permission, of course."

Mason hesitated but nodded. "Sure. So long as there's no explosives involved."

"Noted. Thank you Mason. I will be sure to make it worth your time." Dr. Tynan then headed to a door to the right of the entrance. The door opened and led to a flight of stairs that went up.

"Alright you lot. Follow me." Jarret waved them over.

Jarret turned to the wall furthest from the entrance. The wall had two grey doors, with a central white column that divided them. A keypad was integrated into the column, which Jarret punched a code into it, causing the doors to slide up into the ceiling. They went through into a large, brightly lit white room, where the floor, walls and even the ceiling was padded. The place gave Mason feelings of Déjà vu.

The room was predominantly empty, with a glass screen to the right of the entrance that was positioned high up in the wall. It was this very glass that Mason assumed Dr. Tynan would be observing the training session through. The Zealots formed up on the opposite wall of the entrance, standing behind Jarret as they all turned to face Mason. They had their hands behind their backs as they waited patiently and unmoving.

"I thought we would start with a basic exercise. Show us what you got." Jarret took on a fighting stance, leaving Mason a little taken aback.

"Feel free to use any method you see fit. Just don't use your 'Pain Surge'." Dr. Tynan announced over the comms system. Mason had no clue where his voice was coming from as he couldn't see speakers of any kind.

Shrugging, Mason stepped forward and threw a punch, which was blocked by Jarret. The first few minutes were spent doing this, slow attacks and basic counters. After a while, Jarret asked Mason not to hold back. Even when he started to put more effort in, Jarret was still easily blocking or evading him. Even at times, Jarret would let Mason's arm slip past him, only to stick his hand out and place it on Mason's chest or shoulder, but not actually hitting him.

"Instead of hitting one another, we'll do this to show that you've been hit. Consider it an actual injury in live combat, but nothing serious should happen in here." Jarret explained. Mason assumed this was that plan Dr. Tynan had developed for his training.

After thirty minutes, Jarret was satisfied with Mason's performance and stood down. "Not bad. Satsuki and the others taught you all that, I presume?"

"Yeah. But I got the feeling they were intentionally not showing me everything." Mason said gravely.

"Well, we're going to take a different direction. My team will show you what they have to offer, and should anything else spark your interest, you let them know. They'll rehearse the manoeuver with you until they're satisfied you got it." Jarret stepped back and looked to the five of them.

Gale stepped forward, a ghost of a smile on his grizzled features. "Let's go lad."

For the next few hours, Mason was put through his paces with each Zealot. All of them had at least one thing to show Mason that they believed was mandatory for him to know. Otherwise, he picked out numerous moves that he believed would be useful, majority of which were all defensive. Once the Zealots were finished, Dr. Tynan called through the comms system.

"If you're all done, I would like to start my tests. If that's okay."

"Of course, doctor. What's first on your list?" Jarret called up.

"First, I would like Mason to tell me of anything new that he has learned about his curse."

 _Should I really tell them?_ Mason thought anxiously.

Jarret watched keenly, nodding slightly upon seeing his hesitation. Mason took this as a sign that Dr. Tynan was trustworthy.

"There's one thing. It's a sort of, uh, disabling attack." Mason shrugged, not knowing how else to explain.

"Please, give us an example." Dr. Tynan asked. "Just to warn you though, someone will have to injure you for this work."

"Any volunteers?" Jarret looked around expectantly at the Zealots.

Connor, stepped forward and smirked. "Give me your best shot."

Chase and Kahn chuckled while Lexi watched with concern. Gale remained stone-faced. Mason grunted when the Zealot knocked the wind out of him with a firm hit to the chest. Once he recovered, Mason slammed his palm into the Zealot's chest. The effect was immediate. Connor gave a short grunt and fell over, completely immobile.

"Fascinating." Dr. Tynan looked at the computers, which had been wired into Jarret's and the Zealot's uniforms prior to Mason's appearance.

"Anything interesting doc?" Jarret called out.

"Yes. It appears Mason can project an electrical pulse that scrambles nerve signalling. It completely inhibits skeletal muscle movement, effectively paralysing the subject. The scrambling has already begun to deteriorate, however. I estimate within the next five minutes Connor will be back to normal."

"Hm. That is rather interesting." Jarret nodded. The Zealots seemed genuinely amazed too, while Lexi dragged Connor away to the side.

"The next test I would like to perform is on electrical conduction." Dr. Tynan pressed a button, causing a portion of the floor to open up and reveal a metal rod attached to the floor panel.

Jarret walked over to one end of the rod, while Mason moved to the other.

"If you would both please take hold of either end. Mason will then try his best to conduct electricity through to Jarret using your Pain Surge." Dr. Tynan instructed.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Mason said reluctantly.

"Trust me. I'll be fine." Jarret winked.

Mason sucked in a deep breath and gripped the other end of the rod. Although he was certain it wouldn't work, he pressed his two fingers against the rod more firmly. This registered a large spike of energy on Dr. Tynan's computer as it recorded the sudden surge of power. At the same time, Jarret seized up and tore his hand free from the rod, shaking his hand and cursing.

"I'm so sorry!" Mason winced.

Jarret shook his head. "I'm fine. Good thing that was just residual charge from when Connor hit you. Did you get that doc?"

"I did, actually. The notes here about your ability to arc electricity say that you are unable to pass electric current through conductive materials. I wanted to repeat those tests, but with a live subject on the receiving end. It seems you can, in fact, pass electricity through conductive material, but only if someone is there to receive the effects."

"Fat lot of good that ground circuit did me." Jarret stared at the metal rod.

"Indeed. Normal electricity would have been taken up by the wiring as it offers less resistance. It seems your power doesn't obey the laws of physics in this regard."

They proceeded with a number of other tests, each one giving an abnormal result. Dr. Tynan ascertained that Mason's curse was capable of defying even the most basic principles of electricity. Each time, the trial would turn out to be a complete failure, until a living subject was introduced to receive the electrical discharge. These trials also let Dr. Tynan confirm the validity of Inumuta's notes about Mason's attacks not having any permanent damage to his victims.

However, this left Mason confused about something. "Dr. Tynan?"

"Hm? What is it Mason?"

"If my powers only work on living subjects, then how did I use it as an EMP that took out the power to this building?"

"A good question." Dr. Tynan replied. "I wanted to perform tests on this, but it would be very painful for you, so I decided against it."

"Just an explanation will do." Jarret agreed.

"Very well. The notes here detail that, by directly making contact with your nerves, they could draw out the electrical charge and use it for various other applications."

Mason remembered the gauntlet that Inumuta had made for him and how the needles had injected into his nerves.

"For example, if we were to hook your nervous system up to a dead generator, I theorise that it would draw power from you and become functional again."

"Let's not." Mason shook his head.

"Very well. That about does it for today then. Thank you for your participation, Mason." Dr. Tynan called through, turning off his equipment.

"There is one last thing before we finish today." Jarret turned to face Mason. "I want you to try and do something for me."

"What is it?" Mason asked.

"Try and disarm me." Jarret produced an NRG blade. "It's going to be useful if you come across someone who is armed. Namely Satsuki."

Mason flinched when Jarret tossed the blade his way, fumbling it before getting a solid grasp on the weapon. Jarret stepped forward, standing only a pace away as he took on a fighting stance.

"Take a swing at me. I'll do this slowly so you can repeat it."

Mason nodded and went for an overhead slash. Jarret stepped to the left, the blade flying past him. He stuck his right arm out and caught Mason at the wrist. With his other arm, he grabbed hold of Mason's elbow, pushing his own up to Mason's neck. The grip made it impossible for Mason to bend his arm. Jarret's grasp on his wrist shifted so that now they were wrestling for the NRG blade.

At the same time, Jarret applied pressure on Mason's elbow, directly on his nerves, causing his fingers to slacken their grip on the blade. As soon as they weakened, Jarret tore the sword free from his grip. At the same time Jarret pulled his own elbow back and connected it with Mason's chin, forcing him to stagger backward. Jarret now stood with the NRG blade back in his hands, grinning from ear to ear.

"Now you try." Jarret raised the blade, preparing to strike.

Mason however hadn't fully recovered, and when Jarret swung at him the blade cut into his arm. Jarret immediately recoiled and swore, watching blood gush from the wound. Mason cringed, the sudden strike sending a spike of pain through his arm, and the injury itself throbbed as blood flowed freely. Two of the Zealots rushed over with medical supplies, staunching the blood flow and bandaging his arm.

"I apologise. I should have asked if you were ready first." Jarret said sincerely.

"It's fine. I'm getting used to feeling pain." Mason said with mock humour.

 _I really wish I didn't have to though._  He thought grimly.

"If you'd like we can end here, unless you want to try again?" Jarret offered.

"I'm not going to let a little scratch stop me." Mason chuckled.

Jarret nodded warily but raised the sword again, preparing to strike. Mason shifted his arm, expecting to feel a stab of pain go through his arm, though it didn't come. Jarret swiped at him and Mason dodged, but failed to grab his wrist. Jarret went for a side strike, clipping Mason's head with the flat side as he failed to duck in time.

"Maybe it was a bit hopeful to use real weapons. Are you okay?" Jarret asked.

Mason looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"I just hit you in the head." Jarret stared at him quizzically.

"I know. I felt you clip me. Nothing serious." Mason shrugged.

Jarret knew he didn't just  _clip_  him. The blade had full-on smashed into his head. If nothing else, he should have dropped to the ground from such a blow.

"Uh… Sure." Jarret said uncertainly.

"Come on, I'm committed to this." Mason urged him on.

Jarret nodded sceptically, and this time went for a slower, straight lunge. Mason twisted back, letting the blade slide past and he successfully took hold of Jarret's wrist. In quick succession, he used the same technique to weaken Jarret's grip on the blade, snatching it from his hand and slamming his elbow into the man's nose. Unfortunately, the blow had triggered his Agony Strike and Jarret let out a short grunt, staggering backwards.

"Crap! I'm sorry! I really should control that better. If I knew how…" Mason cried out.

Jarret reeled backwards, falling to one knee as he grunted through gritted teeth. Mason watched on with concern as Jarret seemed to struggle, body trembling. After a few seconds, he threw his head back, laughing as he got back up on his feet.

"Now  _that_  was a good hit!" He exclaimed, a large grin on his face.

 _He should have gone down._  Mason stared bewildered. Of course, nobody else knew that he had accidentally used his power.

"Phew. Okay, I think that's a wrap. If you would like Mason, we can continue this tomorrow."

Mason realised he was staring rather rudely and cleared his throat, removing the look of shock from his face. "Sure. That would be good."

"Excellent. Now if you would all excuse me, I need to be somewhere." Jarret nodded curtly to them all and made his way to the exit.

"Is there anything you would like to refine with us, Mason?" Lexi asked.

"I shouldn't take up any more of your time." Mason tried his best to be polite to the rather intimidating figures.

"It isn't a problem. We will assist you in any way we can." Gale replied matter-of-factly.

Mason grinned nervously and shook his head. "No. That's quite okay. Thank you for offering."

"Well if that's all for today though, I'd sure like to go have a shower." Kahn said rather tiresomely.

"Yes. I think it's time we had lunch, actually." Chase pitched in.

"It's way past lunchtime. For your information." Connor smirked.

The professional atmosphere that surrounded them suddenly lifted. Though, perhaps it was never there. Mason had been too busy keeping his guard up the entire time to notice. They walked toward the exit, while he stood there rather foolishly.

"Coming, Mason?" Lexi called out behind her.

"Yeah." He snapped out of his thoughts and jogged to catch up.

Together they headed back to the doors, leaving the room and going to the nearby lockers. They all began taking off their monitoring equipment and stowed them inside. Mason couldn't help but feel the urge to ask them questions.

"I was curious about Jarret. About you lot. You must be pretty good to be part of his team."

Gale chuckled. "Nothing special about us, sonny. Just doing our job."

"Jarret speaks pretty highly of you all." Mason urged.

"He praises everybody. Guy has a real positive outlook on everything." Lexi shrugged.

"What he means is why we're considered the apex of this company." Kahn chuckled. "Am I right?"

"Yeah. I suppose."

"We're all special services, kicked out of the military. Governments like to keep their more elite personnel in hand, so it's rare anybody gets the boot." Gale replied.

"You're all elite fighters?" Mason looked around, their faces contorting into smug grins.

The grizzled man pointed to his comrades one after another, listing them off.

"Spetsnaz." Kahn waved with a broad grin.

Kahn was of medium build, with brown eyes and greyish-white short hair and circle beard. His face was somewhat wrinkled, despite how he appeared to only be in his thirties. The entire time Mason had been with them so far, he got the impression Kahn was a very carefree individual.

"Pair of Navy Seals over there" Connor and Lexi nodded in his direction.

Connor was slim and medium in build also. He had hazel eyes, short dark brown hair and was clean shaven. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, and had a certain air of professionalism about him. Lexi on the other hand had a very slim figure, long, light blonde hair, light brown eyes and a youthful appearance. In contrast, she had a laid back personality, which seemed to level out with Connor's intensity.

"This one here's a Ranger." Chase gave a salute with two fingers to his forehead.

Chase was the youngest of them all, looking to be in his early twenties. He had blue eyes, brown hair and a full but short beard. He seemed to be quite restless, never being able to sit still for very long. Though in the training room, he exercised an extraordinary amount of discipline and patience.

"What about you?" Mason asked curiously.

Gale's appearance gave the impression that he was in his fifties, though he was only in his mid-forties. He had grey eyes and short black hair with a small amount of stubble, both of which were littered with grey. Despite his age, he could display a surprising amount of energy on demand, as proven in the training room, and had a friendly manner.

"He's Black Ops." Lexi interjected. "Top of the food chain around here."

"Besides Jarret." The grizzled man shrugged.

"Where did Jarret come from then? He told me from the military, but never mentioned he was Special Forces or anything."

"Because he's not." Gale looked around at his comrades to see if any of them would object.

"Off the records, the guy's an anomaly. He says he went around the world learning all sort of fighting techniques. I've been on that tour, and even I haven't seen half the fighting styles that guy can execute." The grizzled man frowned.

"So he improvised his own fighting technique?" Mason asked.

"Possibly. But the way he fights is so…" He looked to his comrades who were all thinking the same thing.

"Instinctive." They said together.

"Fighting is so natural to him he could do it in his sleep." Chase added.

"It's like he was born a war machine. He took us all down in less than three minutes. That's saying something." Gale continued.

"You all sound like you fear him more than you revere him." Mason frowned.

Lexi scoffed. "Don't get us wrong. He's loyal to no end. Friendly, and beyond helpful to just about everyone. But, we don't quite believe the backstory he has."

"I see." Mason said, taken aback by some of the doubts they had about Jarret.

"It's not like that affects our workplace relationship though. He's proven himself a thousand times over that he can be depended on in a pinch." Connor intercepted, before any cancerous thoughts set in Mason's head.

"Just to be clear, we're also pretty sceptical about you, kid." Mason looked up in surprise.

"What have I done?" Mason asked.

"All this 'curse' business doesn't sit right with me." Chase grumbled.

"No human possess what you got, kiddo. It doesn't seem possible." Gale added.

"First Life Fibers, and now curses. I mean, come on, this is insanity." Connor added.

"Give him a break you guys. Whatever it is, we can't change it." Lexi glared angrily at them.

"Even you have to admit-"

"I'm not denying it. But as far as I'm concerned, Mason has a select set of abilities that makes him a worthwhile ally. Just leave it at that."

Kahn chuckled. "Listen to the lady you guys. She's right."

The others nodded slowly. "Yeah. Sorry kid. No harm meant by what we said. It's just one crazy thing after another lately."

"It's fine. I was pretty alarmed by my… select set of abilities. As you put it." He smirked.

Lexi returned the grin, as did the others. "Looking forward to working with you, Mason."

Mason's heart swelled with pride. With the exception of voicing their concerns, these people who barely knew him were making him feel like he belonged. The same couldn't be said about Satsuki and the Elite Four, who had all kept him at arm's length.

"Mason. This is Dr. Tynan. Would you please come into the observatory? I would like to discuss something with you." The door behind him slid open and he heard the others shifting from their positions.

"Sounds like you have a date. We'll see you around, kid." Chase gave him his casual salute as they all paraded out of the room.

Mason went through the open door, heading up into the observatory and finding Dr. Tynan alone in the room. It was a lot smaller than the observatory glass in the testing room suggested. He seemed to be occupied with something on his computer as he rapidly tapped the keys.

"Over here, Mason."

Mason sat down close by. "What is it?"

"I would like to inspect that wound you received earlier." Dr. Tynan motioned toward the bandage.

Mason slowly unbound the gauze, revealing completely new skin without a trace of the injury.

"Remarkable. It seems you really do have miraculous healing capabilities. Though I don't remember you using any of your abilities." Dr. Tynan frowned.

"Actually, I did. At the end there when I hit Jarret with my elbow. It triggered my Agony Strike."

Dr. Tynan looked bewildered and frowned. "I wasn't aware."

"You saw his response though, right? Did your monitors pick anything up?"

"I turned them off, unfortunately. I wish I hadn't now. But yes, I did see his struggle. Maybe there's a difference in effectiveness between the two methods of activating that particular ability? Where using your palm paralyses someone, using your elbow simply stuns them."

Mason considered it and nodded. Dr. Tynan seemed to be able to explain just about anything. However, it didn't explain that one time he elbowed that thug in the side. Mason shook his head, deciding that he would simply accept Dr. Tynan's reasoning.

"So what did you want to discuss?"

"I was informed that you are in possession of a Centurion uniform, are you not?"

"Yeah. It's called an Anguish Raiment."

"A clever name. Would you care to explain to me how you use it? Considering that it prevents you from being injured, I am perplexed as to how it enhances your abilities."

Mason gave the doctor an in depth explanation of the machinations behind the uniform. His explanation was essentially verbatim of what Inumuta and Shiro had explained when he first received it.

"A very intelligent design. I was considering augmenting it to supplement your powers, but it seems somebody already beat me to it." Dr. Tynan said with mock humour.

"If you don't mind, doctor, I would like to ask about Jarret Galda." Mason said suddenly.

"Ah. I overheard your conversation downstairs. Don't let the others degrade your opinion of Mr. Galda. He is a genuine man. Reliable and loyal."

"You think so? Even with all the things they pointed out?"

"I will admit that he can be a bit strange at times. Like the others said, his combat skills are beyond what could be considered humanly possible. He's also taken this whole curse business in his stride, accepting it as if it were normal. He also refuses to let me give him a full medical examination, though that could just be anxiety." Dr. Tynan said this last point to himself, making a face.

"You say that he was accepting of my curse?' Mason asked, his attention piqued.

"Yes. Everybody was cynical, at first. But Jarret didn't seem unsettled by the idea at all." Dr. Tynan reflected on the moment. "Then again, we didn't necessarily believe clothes were living organisms at first either. I suppose he just accepts anything as possible nowadays."

Mason nodded slowly. "When you put it that way, it makes sense."

"Anyways, that was all I wanted to ask. I hope this session was valuable for you."

"It was. Thanks."

I'll let you go now, you must be starving."

"Thanks doctor." Mason stood and left the room, hearing the door close behind him.

He went back to the elevator, only to find Janus waiting in the lobby area. She was apparently waiting for him, as she waved him over. He was hesitant, but thought better of angering her in any way.

"Mason Date. I'm Janus Century. I would like to have a chat, if you would please." She stated firmly.

Mason took note that she was wearing a business suit, but no sign of her uniform. "Sure. How can I help you?"

"It's about your friends, and you. Where do you stand when it comes to your loyalty with them?"

"Can't really say they have my loyalty. Not after recent events," Mason said sourly.

"Jarret told me. Please, I'll walk you to your room, if you would allow me." Janus motioned for him to enter the elevator. She seemed more pleasant than the previous day, so he obliged.

"As I was saying, I want to know more about these people. Why they attacked us. What they hope to achieve." Janus pressed the button to descend two levels down.

"It's about the Life Fibers, as you probably guessed. Satsuki and the rest are determined to wipe them out entirely. They noticed that you had taken the last of them from REVOC's and then tried to steal them away to be eliminated." Mason confessed.

The elevator had come to a stop and both stepped out, with Mason taking the lead.

"May I ask why?"

"They believe the Life Fibers are a threat. That, so long as they exist, they will cause chaos."

Mason was unaware of Janus clenching her fists. "I see. My organisation hopes to use the Life Fibers to secure humanities defense against other extra-terrestrial activities."

"How? By making super soldiers or something?"

"That was the general idea. Use the enemy's weapons against them. Or in this case, use other lifeforms to combat other lifeforms, if they ever showed up."

"So like a modern day Torchwood then?"

"What's that?"

"Never mind. So what are the chances of an alien invasion happening exactly?" Mason asked jokingly.

"So long as there is a chance, I would like us to be prepared." Janus replied seriously. "We've already been visited, and up until recently, we had no idea of their intentions for us. Not until it was too late. There's no telling what else might find us, and what they will have in store for our species when they do."

"That's… a good point." He said seriously. They came to a stop outside Mason's guest room.

"I also came to apologise." Janus confessed. "I injured you more than I intended to back at the mansion."

"Oh. Forget about it. Your Centurion uniforms offer really good protection. I barely felt a thing." He tried to play it off.

"I'm glad to hear that. Take good care of it. It seems pretty unique from what I can tell." Janus smiled warmly.

"I will." He nodded. Janus' expression saddened.

"Do you believe there is any way that we can convince your old allies to stand down? Make them see reason, or at least give us a chance?" Janus asked, though there was a lack of hope in her voice.

Mason thought for a while. "I don't honestly know. It seems unlikely. Even I'm hesitant to put my trust into Life Fibers. They killed my parents after all."

She grimaced. "I'm sorry to hear that. But Ragyo Kiryuin was a monster. Her plans for Life Fibers differ greatly from my own. I don't know how else to convince you that my intentions are for the good of humanity."

Mason could hear the sincerity in her voice. "Jarret told me all about your passion for humanity. That's enough for me to believe your plan is genuine."

"What if I told you that, to secure that protection, we might have to kill your old friends?" Janus said painfully.

Mason felt a pit form in his stomach. "They were going to kill me one way or another, just to get their own way. So I can't exactly pity them if it comes to that."

"I feel that I am no better than them, if that's the case." Janus replied.

"While I hope it doesn't come to that, I'm not going to hold it against you." Mason said evenly.

"I suppose we can only wait and let fate decide." Janus shrugged. "Thanks for your opinion, Mason. If the time comes, I may call on you to help persuade them to back down."

"You can count on it." Mason gave her an encouraging smile. Janus returned it and bade him farewell, leaving him outside the door to his room.

Mason stepped inside, sighing aloud as he sat down on the bed. Deep down, he didn't want anybody to die, but he still held a grudge against Satsuki. The betrayal he felt was too overpowering to ignore. At least with Jarret's help, he could become competent enough to defend himself if they tried to make an attempt on his life.

He looked up upon hearing a soft knocking at the door before Jarret slowly slid it open. "I saw you with Janus just a second ago. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, she was much calmer today than yesterday."

"Her uniform is in the wash, which kind of attests to my theory that her uniform is the problem. Anyway, care to talk about what you two discussed?"

"Just talking about what we might have to do about Satsuki and the others." Mason said grimly.

"I see." Jarret nodded, his face going dark. "Just so you know, you won't have to take any lives. If it comes to it, I'll do it myself."

"Firstly, I want to know why Satsuki intended on backstabbing me. I want to know why she even took me in when she could have killed me so long ago. Gah, I just have so many questions." Mason let out an exasperated sigh.

Jarret nodded. "Well, sometimes our enemy hides behind a friendly face."

 _Where have I heard that before?_  Mason tried desperately to remember, but it was lost on him.

"She might have been afraid to try earlier because you were strangers. But once she got closer to you, it would be easier to get you while your guard was down."

"Makes sense." Mason said warily.

"If you're considering that applies to me too, then I'd like to quickly dispel that thought." Jarret laughed.

"Don't worry. I wasn't." Mason lied.

"Anyways. You did really well today. We'll do some more tomorrow. If you want."

"Of course. I've got nothing better to do anyway."

"Excellent. I'll see you then." Jarret closed the door, leaving Mason alone once more.

Mason spent a while lying in bed, trying to remember where he had heard that phrase before. As hard as he tried, he couldn't place his finger on it. But there was something else nagging at him too, and he had no idea why.

 _If I want._  Mason tried to discern why it was so significant.

Mason sighed and decided that he should clean up. The moment that he stepped into the washroom, the lights flickered and the door closed of its own accord. Mason wheeled around to spot his disconcerting reflection in the mirror, staring back at him with a grin.

"Nice of you to show up." Mason said with dry humour.

_Your curse has developed further._

Mason frowned. "How so?"

_Stoicism._

"What does that mean?"

_Greatly increased pain tolerance. Surprising. I thought you would have chosen Maim._

Mason tried to think back to when he might have developed this new power. He recalled when Jarret had accidentally injured him, and how the pain had faded into nothing but a nearly imperceptible sting. Then, Jarret had also insisted that he was struck in the head. But, it felt like nothing more than a tap.

_Correct._

The voice affirmed his assumptions, though he still didn't know what triggered this ability to surface. Mason thought a little longer and it dawned on him. He remembered that he wished he didn't have to deal with the pain. He didn't  _want_  to feel pain, and so he no longer did. Similarly, he  _wanted_  to put one of the Enforcers out of the fight while he was with Ryuko, and so he discovered Agony Strike.

_Connecting the dots. An intelligent move to help you further your progress._

Mason looked up at the reflection with surprise. "Strange hearing something that isn't condescending coming from you."

_You misinterpret my meaning._

"There you go again." Mason sighed. "So how much more development does my curse need before I can get the full message?"

_One last step._

"Can I get a clue as to how I might discover it?"

There was silence for a moment.

_Your pain is my power._

"Oh good. A riddle. That's it? That could mean any number of things."

_You must figure it out._

Mason groaned. "Have it your way. So what is my task again?"

_… let them kill Ryuko Matoi._

* * *

Janus sat on her bed, clutching her head as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She had been trying to sleep, but she was paranoid that someone would come through her door and attack her. They would be armed with a knife, or a gun, and without Jarret around, she would die, like her father. The only thing that had made her feel safe was her Centurion uniform.

When she wore it, she felt protected. Like she could defend herself. She knew deep down that Jarret had taught her how to fight until she was nearly as good as the Zealots. But she felt exposed, vulnerable, even  _naked_ , without her Centurion uniform. There was a gentle knocking at the door, with a female voice announcing that she had her washing. Janus abruptly stood, throwing the door open and snatched the basket from the servants arms.

She dumped the clothes on the floor, rummaging through the pile until she had found her uniform. Without a care in the world, she took off her clothes and slipped it on, giving a loud sigh of pleasure. She finally felt warm again, felt  _safe_. She hugged herself, hugged the uniform, vowing never to take it off again. All the anxiety and paranoia faded away, leaving her in tranquil bliss.

"Uh, are you okay, ma'am?" The servant squeaked.

Janus flung her gaze to the servant, and suddenly she felt that they had outstayed their welcome.

"Get out. Or else." Janus seethed.

The servant saw how Janus clenched her fists and made herself scarce, fleeing down the corridor out of sight. Janus slammed the door shut, ignoring the clothes on the floor. She would never wear anything else again anyway. She slipped into bed, where finally she fell into a restful sleep.


	24. Friend And Foe

Mason turned up to the training room the next day, finding the five Zealots waiting for him, but Jarret was nowhere to be found. Upon asking where he was, they informed him that he had been called up to Janus' office. They agreed that they would begin without him and headed into the training facility to start. They revised things they had taught him yesterday, and Gale even went out of his way to practise the disarming technique that Jarret had shown him.

Later, when Dr. Tynan came to check on them, Mason notified him of his new development. He immediately set the boy up with several monitors and dashed into the observatory. Mason then asked Gale to hit him as hard as he could, much to his confusion. The Zealot slugged him in the gut, frowning when he didn't even flinch. Dr. Tynan frowned too, staring at his computer in disbelief.

"Did you get that, doctor?" Mason called up.

Dr. Tynan was speechless for a moment. "Yes. But just  _barely_."

"What exactly are we trying to investigate here?" Gale asked.

"The monitors are tracking neural activity across Mason's body. Typically, a signal is sent up to the brain upon feeling pain. This signal intensifies depending on the extent of damage sustained."

"Okay. And?" Gale prompted.

"What I'm gathering from these readings is that the nerves reacted weakly, and some simply ignored the stimuli altogether."

"So, what? He can't feel pain anymore?"

"Not quite. His body acknowledged the impact, but didn't generate a signal intense enough to be considered painful. It's impossible to tell if his sense of pain has been completely erased without further tests."

"Honestly, it felt like you tapped me rather than punched me." Mason grinned.

"You said you developed this overnight?" Dr. Tynan asked.

"Yesterday, actually. After I got injured during the training session."

"That is incredible. For your body to have made such a drastic change in such a short amount of time is just… astonishing." Dr. Tynan remarked.

"Though, I'm worried that this might affect my ability to generate power from pain." Mason said anxiously.

"It hasn't." Dr. Tynan reassured. "There's an electrical build-up in the local nerves that hasn't diminished since you've been hit. I'd say this new power has made no impact on that aspect of your curse whatsoever."

Mason breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

His relief was short-lived when the doubles doors suddenly opened to reveal Jarret, his face grim. The rest of them immediately sensed the foreboding aura that filled the room.

"What's wrong, Sir?" Gale asked.

Jarret hesitated briefly. "We found Satsuki and her group. Janus just ordered me to get a strike team together to go pay them a visit. She wants them shot on sight."

The Zealots looked to one another, sharing distraught expressions. Mason let out a soft sigh.

 _So it begins. Full-fledged curse or not._  He thought to himself.

* * *

Mason wasn't very good at lip reading. In fact, it was the first time he had ever tried it. His gaze was fixed on the possessed reflection, watching the facial movements as he tried to decipher the words. The missing part was minimal now, and he was tired of not knowing what this thing wanted from him. He asked the voice to repeat itself several times, eventually figuring out that there were two missing words.

Finally, he was certain of what those words were.

_You will let them kill Ryuko Matoi._

His eyes fell to the floor, sighing despondently. Just a couple days ago, he would have been happy to carry out such a command. But after what Jarret had told him, his feelings for her had reignited, which gave him pause. Then again, his feelings were of little importance in the grand scheme of things.

"You told me I was a guardian. Did you mean that I would be helping to guard humanity?"

_Yes._

There it was. Janus was right. She could use the Life Fibers to protect the world, but Satsuki and the others were threatening to thwart plan. And Ryuko was the biggest threat of them all. It seemed a final engagement between the two groups would be inevitable after all. He could never see Satsuki and the others surrendering peacefully, and so Janus would act on her word and have them executed.

That was assuming Century Security would come out victorious. He suspected that he needed to completely develop his curse for the sake of this final battle. Without all of his abilities, he couldn't carry through with the task, hence why it had been hidden from him in such a fashion. Somehow, his powers would help influence the fight and allow Century Security to overpower Satsuki's group.

"I understand. I'll see that it gets done." Mason whispered. The shadows evaporated, letting the light fill the room once again.

Once he was finished cleaning up, he headed back to his room, abandoning the idea of food. His conversation with the voice had left him feeling sickened. To his surprise, he found all of his clothes freshly washed and folded on the bed upon his return. He shifted them to one side and lay down, letting out an exasperated breath.

His conscience went to war with his reasoning. He felt uneasy as he visualised their lifeless forms, knowing that he would be partially responsible for such an outcome. More accurately, it was Ryuko that he didn't want to see dead. In the end, he was choosing between her life and a formidable line of defense for the human race. The choice was obvious, but his heart only made the decision that much harder to settle with.

Finally, it succumbed. If he didn't see this through, someone else would, he reminded himself. Besides, once it was over, he would almost certainly have his curse taken away too, resulting in his own death. His feelings and regrets would be negligible at that point. He simply needed to steel himself when the time came to take action.

He returned to reality to notice that his hand was on top of the pile of clothes. He was clutching something, and found that it was Ryuko's scarf. He hesitated briefly before letting it go, flipping the entire pile upside down so it was hidden by his Anguish Raiment.

* * *

"Mason! Are you listening?" Jarret shook him by the shoulders.

Mason looked up, startled. "Sorry. I got lost in my thoughts."

"I asked if you're prepared to face them yet."

Mason gave him a firm nod. "Without a doubt."

Jarret nodded and stepped back, addressing the others who had formed a semi-circle before him.

"Good. Remember, our objective is to avoid conflict, although I won't stop you from defending yourself. If we stick to the plan, everything should go smoothly. I'd like nobody to die today."

"We understand, Sir."

"Alright then team. Let's make it happen."

Together they headed out the door and Jarret instructed Mason to go get everything he would need. He nodded and headed for the elevators, going down and rushing into his room. He quickly got changed before taking hold of his Anguish Raiment. He pulled it away from the pile and hesitated, seeing his hoodie and the scarf underneath. He narrowed his eyes and swiped them away, both landing on the floor.

 _You don't have time for this. You already made your decision._ Mason scolded himself.

He put on his uniform and was about to head back out the door, then stopped. His jaw set and he shook his head.

_Screw it._

Mason returned to the elevator, and headed back up. When the doors opened, he saw that the others had gone and outfitted themselves too. Each was in uniform, armed with an NRG blade and handgun, along with other equipment. The Zealots headed into the other elevator while Jarret jumped into the one Mason was in. He put their destination into the elevator's interface and they shot up to the roof.

Stepping out, Mason saw a helicopter stationed on a raised platform just ahead, waiting for them. They climbed in and lifted off, pulling away from the skyscraper to slowly descend down until they hovered a few meters above the structures just below. Jarret left his seat to look out over the edge. From the underground parking lot, a pair of armoured personnel carriers rolled out onto the road.

Each was six wheeled and slate grey in colour, with heavy looking plating covering them. A hatch was positioned centrally on the left side of the transports that allowed occupants to enter and exit the vehicle. Their fronts had yellow-tinted windshields, and toward the rear were mounted rotary cannons.

"Hey guys, retract those guns. They're a bit menacing, even from up here." Jarret spoke into his earpiece.

Both APC's let out metallic whines as the guns slid down from the top of the vehicles to rest at the rear.

"That's better."

"So, what was that plan you mentioned?" Mason asked awkwardly.

Jarret raised an eyebrow at him. "You weren't paying attention were you?"

"No… Sorry." Mason admitted.

Jarret sighed. "I'll go over it again. We're moving out with several vehicles to give the impression that we're a bigger force than we really are. That way, Janus will be convinced that we're following her orders. In reality, it's just going to be us, the Zealots and the vehicle operators."

"We'll be going ahead to make first contact. I'm hoping an unarmed transport will give a good first impression, and that a familiar face will convince them further that we're not hostile. My team will wait out of sight until I give them the all clear. An armoured convoy is bound to provoke a fight unless I can talk them down."

"Can I ask why you want to convince them that we're friendly?"

"Because I want to ask for their help. They've dealt with Life Fibers before, maybe they can tell us what's happening to Janus."

"What if they refuse to help?"

"Then the least I can do is offer them a chance to get as far away as possible. I don't want to have to take any lives today."

"Do you think they'll simply listen to you?"

Jarret considered his question for a moment, then shrugged. "Probably not."

"Me neither."

"Let's hope they do. Otherwise this could get unpleasant."

 _It will._  Mason thought grimly.

* * *

"This is all that we have. Like I said, not much was left after you guys destroyed our base." Mikisugi shrugged.

Satsuki was examining the list of weapons that Mikisugi and Tsumugu had scraped together. There wasn't much, but every little bit helped. The munitions were stockpiled in Tsumugu's store, where a hidden button in his office could completely change the interior of the shop. The shelves lining the walls would lift up, removing the magazines from view. In their place, racks of weapons and ammunition would stand at the forefront.

For the time being, they kept just about everything locked up. Everybody hung around at the Mankanshoku's home as they planned their actions. Of course, this meant that only Satsuki, Inumuta, Mikisugi and Tsumugu were doing any sort of planning, while the rest were busying themselves elsewhere. Ryuko was just in the other room, entertaining Mako who was inclined to help them all out.

Satsuki was relieved to see the rest of the Elite Four up and about that morning. They were more than eager to take the fight to the enemy at her command, keen to get some payback. However, she knew that even though they were well enough to fight, they still weren't in peak condition. Shiro had also finished making repairs to their uniforms, though without replacement Life Fibers, Nonon and Uzu's uniforms had been crippled.

The two of them were sparring outside, while Gamagori sat nearby fixing a Nudist Beach weapon. He was attempting to mend the trigger mechanism, which meant he had to unload the nine-barrelled missile launcher first, lest he accidentally fire it. Luckily, only one rocket was loaded, which he set aside with great care. He looked up upon hearing Uzu grunt, seeing his prone form on the ground with Nonon standing above him, one foot on his chest.

"You were going easy on me." She remarked with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey, I don't remember  _you_  getting beaten by five other Three-Stars all at once."

"You shouldn't have gotten your ass handed to you in the first place. That way, you would have only been beaten up by  _four_." She said smartly.

"Lay off him, Jakuzure." Gamagori called out. "He used himself as bait so the rest of us had an easier time escaping."

She sighed and pouted. "Yeah, yeah. The wannabe hero risked his life to save us. I get it."

"Well this 'wannabe hero' would like to get up now, please." Uzu groaned.

She stepped off him and offered her hand to him. He took it and she hauled him up, helping to dust him off. Gamagori grinned subtly before focusing back on the launcher. He tightened the last screw in place and pulled the trigger experimentally. He heard a click and figured that it should work properly now. He was piecing it back together when they heard a familiar sound in the distance.

Looking toward the source, they immediately identified the chopper closing in on them. Without further delay, Uzu raced back to the house, bursting through the door. The sudden intrusion captured their attention as he skidded to a stop before them. Now that their conversation had ceased, they could faintly hear the sound growing louder.

"There's a helicopter coming straight for us."

"Damn. They're being aggressive." Mikisugi commented.

"Everybody outside. Head toward Tsumugu's shop." Satsuki ordered.

Everybody quickly got into gear, creating enough commotion to arouse Ryuko's curiosity. She stood up and peeked out the door to see Satsuki approaching.

"What's happening?"

"Sanageyama believes Century Security is on its way." Satsuki said with unease.

Ryuko's jaw set and she turned to fetch her scissor blade. Mako's own curiosity was now piqued as she bounced around Ryuko.

"Where are you going? Can I come?"

"No, Mako. You need to stay here." She said seriously.

"Aww come on."

"It's not safe. You and your family need to stay inside. The last thing I want is for you all to get caught up in this mess and be forced out of your new home."

Ryuko hefted up her scissor blade, making her way back to the door. Mako had slowed to a stop as Ryuko walked away from her.

"Okay…" Mako whispered. "Stay safe."

Ryuko paused in her step, turning to give her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

She watched miserably as Ryuko stalked out of the room. Following Satsuki, they headed outside where they were met with the now deafening sound of the helicopter's blades. It wasn't far away now, and was slowing down, indicating that it was most certainly after them. Satsuki looked over to see Gamagori loading the single missile back into the launcher he had been fixing up until now.

"Gamagori!" She yelled. He hefted the launcher up and glanced over at her voice. "Did you get that thing fixed?"

"I believe so."

"Get ready to fire at that chopper on my mark."

Gamagori nodded assent and propped the launcher up on his shoulder, taking aim. The helicopter slowed considerably now, hovering at a significant distance above them. She waited a while longer until it came to a complete standstill.

"Now!"

Gamagori pulled the trigger and the missile was off. The pilot had obviously seen the incoming threat as the chopper urgently tilted sideways in an attempt to avoid the projectile. Instead of hitting the middle of the tail as he had aimed for, the missile instead struck the tail rotor, blowing it clean off. The aircraft began spinning and tilting in random directions as the pilot fought for control.

Eventually, the bird careened off to the side and began to plummet toward the ground. The others had been on their way to Tsumugu's store when they heard the explosion. They turned to see the helicopter flying out control, only for it to start hurtling toward them. They scattered, steering clear of the impending crash site. The bird made one final lurch to the side before burying itself straight into the middle of Tsumugu's shop.

"So much for all that ordnance." Nonon said drily.

Satsuki, Ryuko and Gamagori came sprinting after the crippled aircraft, slowing when they saw the wreckage. They came up beside their allies, who all stood a block away from the crash site.

"My store!" Tsumugu shouted in dismay.

"Forget about that, there are survivors." Mikisugi indicated movement from the downed aircraft.

Uzu and Gamagori immediately rushed forward to engage them before they could fully recover.

"But I had almost completed my game!" Tsumugu continued.

"Wait. You were being serious about that?" Ryuko asked, looking perplexed.

"Guys, focus! Something's wrong!" Nonon said urgently.

Both Uzu and Gamagori were now stood stock still. The others warily advanced, seeing two survivors walking away from the wreckage. Once they stepped out into the open, they could make out who they were. Ryuko felt her heart sink as she identified one of them. Satsuki took a nervous glance at Mikisugi, who wore a concerned expression of his own.

Their worst fears had been realised.

* * *

The pilot approached the coordinates provided by the search team, slowing to a standstill. Jarret had been looking out the side the entire way and narrowed his eyes when he saw some familiar faces running around. He then spotted Gamagori and what he was holding. Before he could say a word the aircraft jerked to the side. The pilot had spotted it also and attempted to evade the missile as he saw it launch.

Jarret scrambled for a grip as he was almost thrown out, barely managing to get a grip on something as the chopper was struck in the tail. Mason had an easier time as he was already holding on to the railing attached next to the doors.

"We're going down!" The pilot announced.

It was a valiant struggle on his behalf, and he managed to plant the landing skids down first, albeit on top of a building. The sheer force of their landing caused the structure beneath them to buckle, and they plummeted through the roof. The tail tore through the storefront, and the main rotor came to an abrupt stop as it smacked into adjacent structures. Overall, a stable crash-landing.

Mason groaned as he released his death grip on the railing. Jarret also exhaled through pursed lips, coming to stand. He peered around to the pilot seat and grabbed the man by the shoulder. The pilot looked at him and gave him a thumbs up.

Jarret grinned. "Superb landing, soldier."

"Thank you Sir."

Jarret then checked on Mason who was just starting to get to his feet.

"You hurt?"

Mason shook his head in response. "Barely felt a thing."

Jarret exhaled sharply. "So much for that first impression."

"So, what now?"

"First thing's first." He turned around to the pilot. "Stay here and keep out of sight. I'll come back for you when it's safe. Got it?"

"Yes Sir." The pilot nodded.

Jarret turned back to Mason. "Alright. Time to go ask for help from the people that just tried to kill us."

Mason raised a concerned eyebrow, following him out of the downed craft. They made their way to the street, noticing two individuals already approaching their position. They turned their attention to them, walking over calmly. Mason immediately identified them as Uzu and Gamagori, who both stopped dead in their tracks upon seeing him.

"Let me talk to them first." Jarret kept his voice low. Mason nodded, though he already knew it was a hopeless cause.

Satsuki rapidly approached, overtaking the two boys to stand at the head of the group. Not far behind her, Inumuta and Nonon came to stand beside Uzu and Gamagori, forming a line behind Satsuki. Mason spotted Ryuko hiding behind Mikisugi and Tsumugu, who stood just behind the Elite Four. Jarret remained calm, even though they were severely outnumbered.

"If any of you are willing to hear me out, then I have something to ask of you." He called out.

Before he had said anything, none of them had realised who he was. Now, Satsuki recognised him as being the Four-Star soldier. She dragged Bakuzan free from its scabbard, inciting the others to draw and ready their weapons also.

Jarret raised both hands defensively. "Woah woah woah! Hold on! Just hear me out!"

This made them hesitate, and Satsuki was the first to lower her blade slightly.

"Speak your piece." She called back to him.

"My boss, Janus Century, has ordered that you all be killed on sight. But, she isn't in her right mind. The  _real_  Janus would never issue such a command. So, I've come to ask for your help in getting her back. I think it has something to do with-"

"What makes you think we'd even  _consider_  helping you?" Satsuki interrupted, hostility in her tone.

Jarret shrugged. "If you can't, then I'm not going to force you to. But at the very least, let me help you all get as far away from here as possible. I don't want anyone to become an unfortunate casualty."

"Sounds like a load of garbage to me." Nonon whispered to Satsuki.

"Yeah. I think he's stalling." Tsumugu added.

Jarret waited patiently for their response, though moments passed in complete silence.

"I don't think they believe me." Jarret sighed.

He then spun around at the sound of the APC's approaching. They had witnessed the helicopter crash and had come to lend assistance.

"I knew it." Tsumugu said gruffly.

Before anyone else could react, Ryuko surged forward and wound back her arm, scissor blade in hand. She yelled furiously as she swung forward in a wide arc. Both Jarret and Mason were forced to dive out of the way as her attack cleaved through the air. The slash hit the APC's and caused them to lose control.

They were sent rolling and tumbling helplessly down the road. One came to a stop after scraping across the tarmac while upside down, now strewn across both sides of the road. The other stood up on its front, then fell sideways right next to the first. The second APC had its rotary cannon pressed up against the others hatch, effectively blocking the exit for those inside. Jarret looked back in surprise and noticed that Ryuko wasn't even powered up.

"I don't know what they did to you, but I really hope you're not seriously with  _them_  now." She addressed Mason, her eyes shrouded by her hair and her tone dark.

"You better believe it." Mason said flatly.

Wordlessly, she responded by raising her scissor blade at them both. The others got ready too, while the Elite Four entered their transformations.

"Looks like we don't have a choice." Jarret mumbled, drawing his Fork Knife.

Jarret and Mason then activated their armours, with Mason twisting the pin in his arm and letting it slide into his wrist. He felt the spikes stabbing into his skin, but the usual pain he would have felt was absent.

"I'll deal with Satsuki and Ryuko. If you don't mind occupying the others?" Jarret looked to him.

Mason merely nodded without sparing him a glance. "Happily."

"Alright everyone. Focus on distracting Mason. We'll deal with the Four-Star." Satsuki spoke discreetly so only her allies could hear her.

"You got it." Tsumugu answered, splitting off with the Elite Four. Mikisugi went in the opposite direction, deliberately departing from the battlefield.

Satsuki and Ryuko went for Jarret, who readied himself for the duo. Mason on the other hand watched as Tsumugu raised his guns and fired at him. The jamming rounds connected with his armour, but a lot of them bounced off the metal plating. Mason used his arm to shield his face as he advanced forward, his Anguish Raiment taking the brunt of the barrage.

From the side, Nonon flung a kick at Mason's exposed side. He pivoted around, catching her by the hair and throwing her to the side. Tsumugu kept his distance from Mason as he continued firing, though his rounds were having little effect. When he went to reload, Mason made a mad dash for him, closing the distance quickly. As he was almost upon the guerrilla fighter, a hand caught him and tossed him back down the street.

Jarret watched as Bakuzan flew down at him in an overhead strike. He skipped backwards at the last second, letting it fly past him as he kicked the flat side, making the blade jerk away. With Satsuki off balance, he connected his fist into her midsection and sent her backwards.

"Life Fiber Synchronise! Kamui Senketsu!"

Upon hearing that, he raised his knife to block a certain scissor blade from behind him. He spun around, slamming a roundhouse kick into Ryuko's side, his knife deflecting away her blade. Ryuko wound her arm back and swung a wide arc at him. He leaned backwards under the blade, then caught her downward strike in his knife.

"We don't have to do this." Jarret said effortlessly, while Ryuko was putting all of her strength into their deadlock.

Ryuko pulled away and swung at Jarret with full force, but he jutted his Fork Knife out and blocked it easily. Before she could react, he had closed the distance and sent a haymaker into her face, shoving her back. Satsuki was soon back upon him, and he pivoted on his heel, connecting his knife with Bakuzan as they slid down each other's lengths until their cross guards were touching.

"Can't we just talk?" Jarret muttered.

He was answered with a shrill cry from behind him. He shifted and let Satsuki's sword slide past him to intercept Ryuko's scissor blade that had come down in a crashing overhead strike. Both girls then swung at him simultaneously, their weapons locking with his Fork Knife as he raised it before himself. They put all their effort into driving him backwards, but he wasn't budging.

"I'd rather not continue fighting either of you. This is senseless. Just listen to me!" Jarret appealed, but they ignored him.

Seeing as how they couldn't overpower him, Satsuki disengaged and swung at his exposed side. In a rapid series of motions, Jarret collected up Ryuko's scissor blade into his Fork Knife and then used the larger blade to block Bakuzan. Ryuko pulled free her scissor blade, letting Jarret shove Bakuzan away, stepping in to follow up with an uppercut at Satsuki. He intentionally avoided actually hitting her, watching as she leapt back to stand beside Ryuko.

Jarret lowered his Fork Knife as his shoulders sagged. "It seems words won't sway you. So maybe actions will."

With his guard seemingly down, Satsuki swung at him. He thrust forward his Fork Knife, blocking her with the smaller blade. A couple of expertly performed movements later and he was poised to trap Bakuzan. Anticipating this, Satsuki loosened her grip and prepared to advance on him in order to land a few good strikes. Instead, Jarret wrenched the sword from her slackened grip and grasped the hilt with his free hand. Sliding Bakuzan free from the Fork Knife, he now wielded both in either hand.

Mason groaned as he stood back up, looking at Gamagori who had thrown him back. Uzu stood with his sword drawn, and just behind him Nonon stood at the ready also. Mason exhaled with frustration as they all began advancing on him. Mason was then caught in the stomach by an invisible force, sent reeling as he was flung back. He looked up to see Inumuta coming out of his invisibility, smirking, much to Mason's irritation.

The Elite Four banded together, looking down at him, as though he were nothing to them. Mason huffed with anger and stood. He slowly began making his way toward them, tensing his muscles. Inumuta suddenly disappeared again, while the other three charged him. A kick landed in Mason's side, but his Stoicism let him shrug it off. With a sudden movement, Mason had gripped Inumuta's leg and threw him into the side of the building to his left.

Gamagori threw a downward punch at Mason, who dodged it and delivered an uppercut into Gamagori's jaw. The blow made him stagger, and Mason slammed his fist into Gamagori's face, making him fly back. Not long after, Nonon snuck up from behind and struck him several times in the back. She fully expected him to stagger forward, but he only looked back at her with an angry expression.

Nonon was flung into Inumuta, leaving them in a tangled mess. Uzu swung his sword with lightning speed, connecting with Mason's body and face. He hesitated when Mason barely showed any recognition that he had been hit, then retaliated with a punch. Uzu dodged and weaved, using his Tengantsu to predict Mason's moves. After a few seconds, Uzu stabbed at him, but Mason took hold of Uzu's sword and pulled with insane strength.

The swordsman stumbled forward, his feet suddenly being kicked out from under him. Mason followed by slamming his palm into Uzu's chest. There was a grunt of pain as he hit the ground, lying motionless. Tsumugu began firing his barrage of jamming rounds again, and a hurl of tendrils flew at Mason. The tendrils smacked harmlessly at him, and Mason grabbed hold of one. He had no clue if his idea would work or not, but he pressed his fingers into it.

Everybody heard the shouts of pain coming from Gamagori as the electric current surged through the tendril, ending with him collapsing to the ground. Nonon rushed Mason, but he evaded her easily and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back onto the tarmac. Tsumugu finished reloading yet again and began firing, dragging Mason's attention as the Elite Four recovered. Meanwhile, Mikisugi was running up to his designated vantage point on the roof of a nearby house, carrying a sniper rifle with him.

Satsuki stared in shock, unarmed. Ryuko too looked a little more hesitant to engage him now that he had both Bakuzan and that dastardly knife. Then, unexpectedly, he reversed his grip on Bakuzan and threw it at Satsuki's feet. She quickly snatched up the weapon and readied it once more. His next action stunned them both. He tossed his Fork Knife on the ground before them too.

"There. If that doesn't show my good faith, I don't know what will." He said drily.

"As was manipulating our friend and turning him against us?" Ryuko snarled.

"I approached him peacefully and we organised a deal. He's here of his own volition."

"You lying bastard." She hissed through gritted teeth.

"He wanted to make sure you were okay. I want to make sure you're  _all_  okay by the end of this. Please, I'm asking you to stand down. We can resolve this without conflict." Jarret pleaded.

"You approach us with a potentially armed convoy and expect us to believe that?" Satsuki glared.

Jarret paused for a beat. "Yeah. Actually, I do."

"Enough stalling. For all we know, there could be reinforcements on their way right now."

"There isn't-!" Jarret cried out as they both charged him.

Satsuki planted her foot on his Fork Knife, kicking it further away from him as she lunged alongside Ryuko. Jarret leaned back as both blades crossed one another over him. He recovered and shoved them back to give himself breathing room. They both charged him again, and without his knife, he would have a tough time repelling them. He narrowed his eyes, fists clenched and jaw set.

 _This feels distinctly familiar._ He thought with dry humour.

"Let's dance."

Both blades flew at him, and both were thrown off their initial trajectories. They swung again, and Satsuki immediately had haunting flashbacks to her first encounter with Jarret. The girls hurled their blades at him, watching as he simply deflected them away with nothing more than his fists. They doubled their efforts, building momentum, only to be matched by their adversary.

The stalemate ended swiftly when Jarret deflected Ryuko's scissor blade with a right hook, then backhanded Bakuzan out of the way. His left fist struck Satsuki in the side of the face, stunning her. He deflected the scissor blade one last time and stepped forward, launching an uppercut that threw Ryuko off her feet. He leapt up and delivered a devastating downward punch that made Ryuko's landing that much harder. All within the space of four seconds.

Soaring over Ryuko, Jarret hit the ground and rolled, snatching up his Fork knife in the process. He rose to his feet, seeing Satsuki's wide-eyed stare. Ryuko groaned as she slowly got back up, looking equally as shocked. He narrowed his eyes when he saw a brief hand movement made by Ryuko behind her back. Satsuki's eyes had glanced to acknowledge the action and he saw her grip on Bakuzan tighten.

 _Something's up._  He thought.

Ryuko suddenly accelerated forward, aided by Senketsu's propulsion. He dove underneath her blade, anticipating Satsuki to make her move while Ryuko had his attention. He shouldered Ryuko aside so that she skidded away from him, then parried Satsuki's overhead strike. A swift jab to the gut made Satsuki keel forward, and he kicked her in the same place, throwing her backwards while she retched.

Jarret whirled around in time to catch Ryuko's scissor blade hurtling toward him. Her momentum drove them backwards, skating along the road for a couple meters. She swung an uppercut at him, missing as he leaned back and dodged it before head-butting her in the face. She staggered and he raised his Fork Knife to snatch her weapon, but it was intercepted by Bakuzan.

Jarret grunted and kicked at her, catching Satsuki in the leg. She buckled, feeling Bakuzan torn from her grip to come clattering on the ground beside her. Ryuko swung at him but he caught her blade in his knife. With a few expert movements, he drove the knife into the ground, trapping her weapon.

"Senketsu Senjin!" Ryuko cried out, claws emerging from her Kamui as she swiped at him.

Jarret let her arm fly past him, grabbing hold of her wrist and pulling her forward. She stumbled past him while being struck in the jaw by his elbow and was then backhanded in the side of the face. Satsuki lunged with Bakuzan, though Jarret evaded it and caught her arm, throwing her at Ryuko. The two girls collided and fell to the ground in a pile of flailing limbs.

While they struggled to untangle themselves, Jarret pulled free his Fork Knife and held the scissor blade in his other hand. Ryuko was the first up, swinging her foot around at Jarret's head. She narrowly missed him, but her claws followed up closely, lunging forward. He deflected them away using both weapons, but Ryuko caught her scissor blade in one claw. He let go of it and swiped at her with his knife, forcing her to retreat. She cartwheeled backwards, snatching her blade up in the process, coming to stand beside Satsuki.

* * *

Janus sat in her office, nails tapping impatiently on the desk. She knew that Jarret could handle the situation, but she felt doubt. Something in the back of her mind persistently urged her to ensure the problem was dealt with properly. That meant she couldn't rely on anybody but herself. She instantly called an off-duty pilot.

"How can I help you ma'am?"

"Helipad. Now. Get my VTOL ready." She said sternly.

Within moments, Janus was waiting up on the roof, watching as the raised platform opened up. Being lifted up onto the helipad was a grey, box-looking vehicle. There was a jutting triangular section at the front that acted as the pilot seat, and the body of the craft was hollow for passengers to sit inside. Struts projected out on either side of the top corners of the craft, acting as its 'wings'. The struts at the rear were half as long as the ones at the front, and at the end of them were cylindrical propulsion engines.

"About time. I wonder sometimes why I pay any of you." She immediately jumped into the craft.

"Starting engines." The pilot announced.

"Shut your mouth and hurry up!" Janus roared at him.

"Y-yes ma'am." The pilot stuttered. He quickly had the bird in the air, wings orientating so that they were flying toward Konru.

* * *

"You've got to be joking!" Connor gritted his teeth and grunted as he kicked at the hatch that sealed them inside.

With their APC upside down, they had to open the hatch upwards, but the other APC's gun kept it firmly closed. It didn't help that it lay on its side, and the gun would only slide vertically along the vehicle, adding to the difficulty of their task. With him was Lexi and Kahn who hung back, having already tried twice to force the hatch open. Connor was on his second attempt, fuming that he couldn't just transform and bust it open.

They had contemplated the idea, but the interior of the APC was cramped to the point they had to stoop inside of it. If any of them were to transform, they wouldn't even be able to stand, let alone get the appropriate leverage to force the hatch open. They'd simply be taking up space, and that would do nobody any favours in the already tight confines.

Other attempts to escape the vehicle had also failed. When Kahn had checked on the driver, he tried busting through the windshield, though it held fast, and even resisted his NRG blade. Similarly, Lexi had tried to cut an opening through the sides, but the plating was so thick that the weapon struggled to go through. It was one of those circumstances where their engineering team had done too good of a job constructing the company vehicles.

Connor kicked one last time before roaring with frustration.

"Calm down, Connor. There's no point getting angry over it." Lexi soothed.

"What are you talking about? Jarret and Mason are out there fighting right now! They need us  _dammit_!" Connor whirled around one last time, giving the hatch a hard kick that made him stagger back.

They weren't oblivious to the sound of clashing blades and even an extended scream coming from outside. Multiple times they tried calling in to Gale and Chase's radios, but neither of them were responding. They could only assume they had been knocked unconscious, similarly to their own driver who lay on the roof behind them.

Suddenly, there was a knock from outside.

"Hey! Are you guys alright in there?" A man's muffled shout came through.

"We're fine. Who are you?" Connor responded.

"I'm the helicopter pilot. I saw your APC's get flipped, so I came to help."

"Do you know the status of the other APC's occupants?" Lexi asked.

"They were all unconscious. I hoped they could help me get you guys out of there."

"Good thinking. Well can you think of anything to get this hatch open?"

"Besides push? Not really."

Connor groaned. "Do it. We need the other APC out of the way ASAP."

The pilot nodded and stared at the daunting hunk of metal. He exhaled through pursed lips and put his hands against it. With a grunt of exertion, he began shoving at the vehicle, though it felt like no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't budge. Regardless, he continued pushing, taking small breaks to catch his breath when necessary. He positioned his shoulder up to the vehicle and propelled himself with both legs, feeling as the vehicle budged ever so lightly.

Encouraged by this advancement, he continued. From inside the other APC, the three Zealots each worked on their own separate attempts to escape.

* * *

Tsumugu grunted with frustration as he reloaded once again. He watched for a third time as the Elite Four threw themselves at him, only to have zero effect as he shrugged off their attacks and proceeded to repel them. The most they could do was occupy him for a few minutes. Gamagori had recovered not long ago, though he was now incapacitated again by an Agony Strike, along with Nonon.

It was a hopeless battle, as any injuries they inflicted quickly healed over, and his Agony Strike was capable of knocking one or two of them out for an extended period of time. On top of that, each time they were beaten down, they would take a little longer to recover before they could re-engage him. Mason just finished beating Inumuta's head down against the ground with his palm, putting him out of the fight for a while.

With Tsumugu in the midst of reloading, Mason turned his attention to Satsuki, making his way toward her while she had her back turned. Jarret had just parried Ryuko's blade, pushing her back with a lightning fast punch to her midsection. Both girls were panting with exertion, though they insisted on raising their weapons at him again.

"Does this guy ever get tired?" Ryuko huffed.

"Where's Mikisugi? He should be-" Satsuki was cut off as she let out a pained grunt.

Mason had gotten up behind her and slammed his palm into her back, making her collapse forward onto her face.

"Satsuki!" Ryuko cried out. She turned in time to block one of Mason's punches, but she cried out in pain when his other hand slammed into her gut.

Mason followed by striking her in the face, eliciting another cry of pain as she fell backwards on the ground, momentarily stunned. Mason hesitated, his heart and mind at conflict once again, practically tearing each other apart. Her screams made him die a little inside, but he steadied his resolve.

 _If I don't do it, someone else will._   _It's inevitable._ He reminded himself reluctantly.

Mikisugi had just perched himself on top of the roof of the building, looking down his sights and aiming at Jarret.

"Lady Satsuki, I have the target in my sights." He called through his earpiece.

Satsuki managed to raise her hand to her own hidden earpiece. "Change of plan. Aim for Mason."

"Are you sure?" Mikisugi responded, changing his target.

"We have to take out the bigger threat. Shoot Mason." Satsuki groaned. "Shoot him now!"

Mikisugi held his breath and pulled the trigger. A small bullet flew from the barrel, laced in red with a metal center piece. The bullet slammed into Mason's shoulder, making him reel from the impact. Within seconds, he was grunting in shock as his uniform powered down and began to seize up.

He strained to move his limbs, even with his pain-fuelled strength. The uniform was going completely stiff, until it wouldn't let him move at all. He could feel the material compressing tightly around his body. If not for his Stoicism, he would have felt immense pain as his uniform threatened to crush his bones into dust.

"What... the hell… is this?" Mason strained to speak.

"It's a special adhesive bullet. Capable of completely immobilising any Life Fiber infused clothing." Tsumugu smirked.

"Ryuko, destroy his uniform!" Satsuki yelled, recovering from the Agony Strike.

"Oh no you don't!" Jarret shouted.

Satsuki lunged up and locked blades with him, keeping him preoccupied. Ryuko bounced back up onto her feet, winding her blade back.

"Decapitation mode!" Ryuko extended her blade.

"Mason!" Jarret cried out, growling as he began overwhelming Satsuki with brute force.

"I'm sorry." Ryuko whispered, seeing the spiteful look in Mason's eyes.

"Sen'i Soshitsu!"

Ryuko swung her blade, cutting a fatal gash in the Anguish Raiment, causing it to disintegrate. Mason gasped for breath as the uniform fell apart, wires and capacitors falling to the ground as he was released. Ryuko stared in surprise when she saw what Mason had been wearing underneath his uniform.

She caught sight of her scarf, wrapped around his neck, and the hoodie that she had gotten for him. Both concealed under the uniform until now. No matter how hard he tried to walk out that door without them, he ended up going back to take them for good luck.

"Mason…" Ryuko's voice faltered.

"Tsumugu, immobilise him!" Satsuki cried out.

The guerrilla fighter leapt out from cover and fired his guns at Mason. The needles connected, making Mason grunt and fall to one knee as they went into his back.

"So long as Mason had his uniform, he was unstoppable. But now, all we need to do is restrain him. Without pain, he can't gain power, and so he is no longer a problem." Satsuki smirked.

Suddenly, Mason looked up at her, teeth bared as he pushed himself back up on both feet.

"Is that right?" He growled furiously.

Satsuki's mouth went slack as she stared at him in confusion. Unknown to all of them, Stoicism was enabling him to resist the effects of anaesthesia. While Satsuki was distracted, Jarret dragged Bakuzan aside and struck her down with his free hand. He hurried over to Mason, putting himself between Tsumugu and the boy.

"You good?" Jarret asked.

"Yeah." Mason said gruffly.

The Elite Four then charged in again, and Jarret raised his Fork Knife, ready to keep them all at bay.

"Why don't we switch for a while? I'll deal with these guys, then I'll help you with Satsuki."

Mason nodded and turned his attention to Ryuko. The Elite Four hesitated when Jarret barred their way to Mason. Without any other choice, they were forced to confront him instead. Satsuki got back up, standing by Ryuko's side as the two girls stared Mason down.

"Why did you join them?" Ryuko asked.

"Because you all abandoned me." Mason spat.

"We had no other choice." Satsuki replied.

"Neither do I." Mason raised his fists before him.

Jarret easily struck down each member of the Elite Four, though it helped that they were already softened up. Inumuta tried to sneak up on him, but Jarret sensed him and dispatched him with ease. Gamagori tried to overpower him, but their contest was one-sided, with Jarret coming out victorious. Both Nonon and Uzu tried to outmanoeuvre him, but Jarret was simply too fast.

Next he was faced with Tsumugu, who had a Tailor's dagger in one hand. He had expended the last of his ammunition firing uselessly at Jarret while he was engaging the Elite Four.

"You think you stand a chance?" Jarret challenged.

"There are two things you need to know. One-" Tsumugu started. He didn't finish.

Jarret closed the gap and punched him three times in the stomach, with the last hit sending him flying into the wall of a building.

"Tell someone who cares." Jarret said flatly.

"In heaven's stead, we will smite clothing!" Gamagori roared, working up the others as they charged at Jarret from behind. He swung around, using his Fork Knife to slice through their uniforms, then proceeded to knock them all back down on the ground.

"Even if the entirety of heaven lent you their strength, you  _still_  couldn't stop me."

Jarret watched as they picked themselves back up, impressed by their spirit.

"He's right, you know." Another voice joined in.

The Elite Four turned to see four Zealots standing behind them.


	25. Better Late Than Never

The pilot leaned up against the APC, breathing heavily. He had managed to make the APC budge a couple more times, but now his strength had waned. For the past few minutes he had been unable to make the vehicle move any further. Even his attempts to roll it back onto its wheels again were met with failure. Wiping his brow, the pilot was about to throw in the towel when he heard footfalls behind him.

He looked over and spotted Gale approaching, with Chase pulling himself out of the APC.

"Finished taking your naps I see." The pilot huffed.

"Yes. I was rudely awakened to the sounds of a man moaning and groaning just outside. As you could imagine, a very unpleasant image came to mind. So if you would kindly stop, I would appreciate it." Gale replied smartly.

"Gratefully," The pilot backed away.

Chase grunted as he landed on the ground just behind Gale, who was inspecting the other APC. He saw that their mounted rotary cannon was jammed up against the hatch, and the barrels had been disfigured. He indicated to Chase that they were going to move the vehicle, and so he took his place near the front. They transformed and shoved the APC at either end simultaneously, hearing the metal grating across the tarmac as it moved.

The pilot rolled his eyes up to the heavens and shook his head. "Show-offs."

Upon hearing the grating noises, Connor threw open the now unblocked hatch and held it until all three of them had stepped out.

"You're welcome." Gale said.

"Yeah. Thanks." Connor nodded, then looked at the pilot. "You too."

"Good timing. The fight's not over yet." Lexi pointed toward Jarret who was engaging Satsuki.

There was a loud, resounding shot and they looked in the opposite direction to see someone on a rooftop with what they assumed was a sniper rifle.

"Hey, you." The pilot's attention was dragged to Connor.

"Yeah?" The pilot then flinched when he tossed him a pistol, fumbling it awkwardly.

"I want you to take care of the drivers here. Can you do that?"

"Count on it, Sir!" The pilot saluted.

"Chase, mind handling that sniper?" Gale asked.

"With pleasure." The younger man grinned wickedly. They watched as he slinked off before turning their attention back to the ensuing conflict.

"Come on team. It's about time we joined the fray." Gale beckoned.

* * *

Sandwiched between Jarret and the Zealots, the Elite Four continuously turned back and forth between the two. It wasn't until the Zealots advanced that they decided they were the more pressing concern. Unfortunately for them, Jarret used their inattentiveness to move in and hit them with his Fork Knife yet again. The damage done to their uniforms until now had been gradually worsening, but this was the breaking point for them.

They each cried out, their uniforms falling apart around them. The Zealots moved in, expecting them to fall easily or surrender. It was to their surprise when they sprang forward to unleash a storm of punches and sword strokes. In a last ditch effort, the Elite Four had suddenly adopted a 'do or die' attitude, pushing themselves to their very limits.

Surrendering never even crossed their minds.

Gamagori struck Gale in the shoulder, making him stagger back and expose his side. A quick jab to the ribs made the Zealot buckle, where upon Gamagori grabbed the back of his head and collided his knee into the man's visor. While he was reeling from the devastating blow, Gamagori picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. Gale cried out as he landed on his back, rolling onto his front and pushing himself up.

Gamagori grabbed him by the shoulders and pivoted, throwing the Zealot into the nearby wall. Gale went through it and rolled across the carpeted floor, stopping when he hit the opposite end of the room. He picked himself up in time to block a downward punch from Gamagori by grabbing his clenched fist. The blonde teen gripped Gale's wrist tightly, trying to pry his hand away from his own.

Gale grunted with pain and thrust himself up with his right foot, putting his entire body weight behind a single punch aimed at Gamagori's midsection. Gale's fist hit something hard and he yelled out, shaking his hand painfully. However, the sheer strength behind the hit made Gamagori wheeze and double over, letting go of Gale's arm.

Once Gamagori had recovered, he attempted to charge his opponent into the wall. The Zealot moved aside and helped him forward, shoving him so that he slammed against the bricks. The boy staggered backwards, and Gale grabbed him by the arm, twisting it painfully. He wrenched his arm up behind his back and kicked him in the back of the knee, bringing Gamagori down to kneel.

Gale drew his pistol and pressed it to his head, hoping it would convince him to surrender. Gamagori's head drooped and his body sagged to the side. Gale instantly dropped the gun and caught him, easing him down onto the ground in a comfortable position.

"Woah. Easy there big fella." Gale murmured.

Gamagori frowned in confusion, but he was too exhausted to utter a word. Instead, his eyes glazed over and his body went limp. Gale watched as his breathing eased, powering down before retrieving his sidearm and holstering it.

Nonon traipsed around Lexi, feinting a forward strike before dancing to the left and landing a punch in her side. The hit made Lexi flinch, letting Nonon dart behind her and jump kick her in the back. Lexi staggered forward, then fell forward onto her face when Nonon took hold of her legs and pulled them out from under her. Nonon leapt up, landing on the back of Lexi's head with both feet.

Lexi groaned and pushed herself up. In the time it had taken her to recover, Nonon had pulled free the NRG blade on her back. Lexi stood in time to leap back as Nonon swung the sword at her. She gripped it in both hands and sprinted forward. With her back to the wall, Lexi twirled out of the way and let the sword bury into the bricks. Of course, Nonon had no clue how to activate the weapon, and so it was firmly stuck in place.

Lexi kicked out, catching Nonon in the chest so that she reeled backwards. Lexi grabbed the blade and activated it, pulling it free and taking a swing at the smaller girl. She easily dove under it, closing in to hit Lexi in the underside of her jaw. Her head flung back, and she felt Nonon kick her in the stomach. With Lexi bent double, Nonon kicked her hand against the wall, making the Zealot cry out and drop the blade.

Nonon snatched the sword up and went for an overhead strike. Lexi drew her gun and fired with lightning speed. The bullet struck the crossguard just above Nonon's fingers, making the weapon stop in its tracks. The gunshot had startled Nonon who stared wide-eyed, wondering if she had been shot but couldn't feel it yet. Lexi used her hesitation to knock the blade free from her hands, letting it clatter to the ground.

Lexi aimed her gun at Nonon's face, seeing the realisation dawn on her face. The pink-haired girl was about to raise her hands in defeat, but found she couldn't move at all. Lexi saw the girl sway to one side and lowered her weapon, stepping in to catch her. Nonon slumped forward into her embrace as Lexi eased her down, propping her up against the wall. Nonon grunted and tried to pull herself onto her feet, but Lexi held her down by the shoulder.

"I wouldn't advise that. I think you deserve a decent rest."

Nonon glared at her, but accepted that she couldn't continue fighting in her current state. Lexi fetched her blade and deactivated it along with her armour, coming to stand guard over the younger girl.

Without his cloaking capabilities, Inumuta was forced to engage Kahn in conventional combat. The Zealot raised his arm to block a side swipe, countering with his own right hook. Inumuta dodged backwards, grabbing his left wrist and wrenching his arm outwards. Kahn twisted his body as he stepped forward, ramming his shoulder into the boy. Inumuta staggered back, releasing his arm.

With his back to him, Inumuta spun on one foot, raising his other one up in a high kick aimed at Kahn's head. The Zealot ducked under, but Inumuta completed a full rotation only to lash out at him with his other foot. The kick struck him in the visor, making Kahn fall on his back. Inumuta somersaulted and came down with his heel, aimed straight at Kahn's head. The Zealot rolled to the side, letting the attack fly past him.

Kahn leapt back up onto his feet, only to receive a harsh blow to his back that made him stagger forward. Inumuta followed with several more blows to the Zealot's head from behind. There was a brief pause as Inumuta set himself up to perform another high kick straight to the side of Kahn's head. He lifted off, and his leg went straight over his target.

Kahn ducked down at the last moment, pivoting around with his leg jutting out. He caught Inumuta in the ankle and sent the boy toppling to the floor. He hit his head against the sidewalk, grunting in pain as his senses dulled. Inumuta rolled over onto his back, pressing a hand to the injured area to feel hot blood flowing freely. Kahn knelt over him and gently pushed his head to the side to examine the wound.

"Don't worry. Nothing serious. Probably just a concussion." He said after a moment.

Kahn powered down and searched his utility belt, fishing out some gauze. He propped the boys head up and wrapped it around until he was satisfied the blood was staunched. Inumuta couldn't bring himself to stop the Zealot even if he wanted to, so he simply closed his eyes instead.

Uzu swung and stabbed, forcing Connor to backpedal as he evaded each attack. They were coming in a blur of motion, and he let out the occasional grunt when the swordsman landed a deft strike on him. One particular overhead attack resulted in Connor bracing with both hands, holding his NRG blade up. The weapons clashed violently, making Connor buckle slightly as he struggled to block it.

In a dazzling display of dexterity, Uzu pulled off and hit Connor in the chest and then flung the NRG blade from his grip. Now forced to fight unarmed, Connor was taking a lot more hits, gritting his teeth as the sword battered against his armour. Uzu went for a deft jab at Connor's chest, but he caught the weapon in both hands. The two of them fought in a contest of strength, neither making any progress on the other.

Uzu knew he would eventually lose, so he pulled instead, making Connor stumble forward. The swordsman slammed the hilt of his sword into the side of Connor's head, then struck the same point with a powerful downward stroke. Connor collapsed to one knee, one hand on his thigh and the other on the ground. Uzu stepped up and pulled back his sword, preparing to strike Connor down with the tip of his weapon.

He thrust down as Connor ducked out of the way, letting the sword slip past to slam into the wall beside him. The sword had hit one of the bricks, causing it to crack and partially disintegrate. Connor grabbed a fistful of the debris and flung it into Uzu's face. The boy turned his face away, blinded by the dust and fragments as he tried to clear it out of his eyes.

This gave Connor the opportunity to retrieve his NRG blade, and upon seeing Uzu still blinded, he went to attack. He went wide-eyed when Uzu raised his sword and parried him. The boy suddenly gave up on his sight and faced Connor with his eyes closed. Connor went for a straight lunge, but Uzu once again deflected the blade harmlessly away. The Zealot had no idea that Uzu was now utilising his Shingantsu.

Connor began swinging and thrusting at random, being repelled each time with ease. He gritted his teeth as he went for a sweeping side strike, but Uzu jutted his sword out and hit him in the hand. The attack threw the NRG blade from Connor's grip, and he was quickly assaulted by rapid-fire blows across his entire body. As he attempted to retreat, Uzu advanced, keeping pace with the Zealot as he shielded himself from only a fraction of his attacks.

A precision blow to Connor's visor made his head fly back and he was struck down as Uzu followed with a side strike. The blow put Connor down flat on his front, groaning as he struggled to push himself back up. He got up onto one knee and looked up at the green-haired boy. He was winding back his sword again, aiming the point straight at Connor's head.

He instinctively reached for his gun, figuring that he could go for a non-lethal shot. He felt nothing at his holster and remembered that he had given it to the pilot. He sighed and braced himself for the hit.

***BANG!***

Out of nowhere, the sword jerked to the side in Uzu's grip as the boy grunted in surprise. Connor pushed himself up and delivered an uppercut into Uzu's jaw. He quickly grabbed his arm before Uzu could swing his sword and tore the weapon from his grip. Connor then slammed the hilt into the side of Uzu's head, making him go limp. Connor caught him before he could fall, laying him down before taking a seat next to the fallen boy.

Connor powered down his armour and placed his forehead into his hand. He let out a deep breath through pursed lips, shaking his head.

"Too close." He whispered. He glanced over in the direction he had heard the shot come from, spotting a slight glint on the rooftop where they had seen the sniper.

Chase had ghosted through the building as he advanced on the sniper. He silently made his way onto the highest floor, finding a ladder that lead up to a hatch. Moving slowly, he made sure not to create any noise as he climbed out onto the roof. He immediately spotted the blue-haired man laying down behind the sniper rifle, his gaze fixed down the scope. Chase scanned the rest of the rooftop to ensure there were no other threats before advancing on him.

Mikisugi felt something tap his leg and he spun violently around to spot Chase. The Zealot held his pistol aimed at him, keeping a distance. He indicated for Mikisugi to move away with a slight motion of his handgun. Mikisugi came to a stand and raised his hands, backing away slowly. Chase stepped up to the sniper to take his spot while forcing Mikisugi to stand a few meters away.

"Just so you know, I'll hear you coming if you decide to rush me. And I can't promise I won't shoot something vital." Chase informed him.

"Don't worry. I'm not stupid enough to try my luck against a Three-Star." Mikisugi said drily.

Chase knelt down and hefted the sniper up, looking down the scope. In the distance he could see his team being thrown about and thrashed. He frowned as his attention was immediately drawn to Connor and Uzu. Connor had just been knocked down, and Uzu was preparing to deliver a finishing blow. Chase steadied the rifle, taking aim at Uzu's sword.

***CLICK.***

Chase looked down at the weapon and frowned. His gaze snapped to Mikisugi who shrugged nonchalantly.

"I only had the one bullet." He said calmly.

"For goodness sake." Chase sighed.

He went back to staring down the sights. Connor had somehow turned things around and was armed with his NRG blade once more. Chase began checking up on the others when he spotted someone moving toward the battlefield. He recognised them as being the helicopter pilot. He was approaching cautiously, taking cover behind a jutting wall just a few meters away.

The pilot peered around the corner and raised up the handgun that Connor had lent him. Chase looked back to the others and his jaw set when he saw Connor in trouble again. He had just been knocked down and looked up at Uzu, who was winding back his sword. There was a distant gunshot and the sword jolted to the side.

Chase focused back to the pilot, watching him lower the pistol and slide back into cover. Looking back at Connor, he saw him slam the handle of Uzu's sword into the boy's head. Uzu slumped over and Connor set the boy down before resting beside him. Connor then looked up toward the rooftop that Chase was perched on. Connor acknowledged that he could see him with a brief thumbs up.

Pulling away from the scope, Chase smirked.

 _He thinks **I**  did that._ Chase chuckled quietly.

Staring back down the scope, he glanced over to where he last saw the pilot. He couldn't find him behind the wall anymore. Instead, he narrowly caught a glimpse of him heading back toward the wrecked APC's. One of the drivers was crawling out of the upturned vehicle when the pilot came to his side and eased him down to a sitting position.

During the Zealot's scuffle with the Elite Four, Jarret had gone and checked on Tsumugu. He made sure the masculine man wasn't critically injured, lest he need immediate medical attention. He had suffered from a nasty hit to the head that rendered him unconscious, but he was fine otherwise. Jarret began to wonder how Mason was doing, looking over where he last saw him.

His answer came as a sharp cry of pain.

* * *

Ryuko yelled as she charged Mason, propelled by Senketsu. He evaded her swing and struck her in the back with his palm. She grunted as she felt her body give out and fell forward, unable to move no matter how hard she tried. Satsuki slashed at him, cutting a large incision across his face. Despite how serious the injury was, he didn't even show recognition that he had even been hit.

Satsuki swung at him again and Mason caught the blade in his hand, ignoring the fact that it cut a deep gash in his palm all the way to the bones. He gripped the blade tightly and Satsuki cried out as the Pain Surge travelled up through her blade and reached her fingers. After a few seconds, she sank to her knees, eyes glazing over. Mason dropped the blade and watched his wounds stitch themselves back together.

Ryuko finally regained control of her body, spotting Satsuki keel over. She stood up and faced him, gulping when Mason turned his cruel gaze upon her. Unknown to him, Satsuki had hastily improvised a plan that she conveyed to Ryuko through discreet movements beforehand. Now that Satsuki had successfully goaded him into expending all of his power on her, it was Ryuko's turn to try and talk him down.

"I was going to come looking for you." Ryuko said sadly.

"But you didn't, did you?" Mason glared, seeing her face fall. "Only Jarret came looking for me, and he saved me."

"I didn't want to leave you behind. I tried coming back. I swear I did!" Ryuko pleaded.

Mason's expression softened. "I know. He told me about that."

"Please, Mason. We couldn't do anything. Satsuki had to make the tough choice between you or all of us."

Mason's face grew furious again. "Tough choice?! She wanted me to die! She's wanted me dead from the start!"

He lunged forward, forcing Ryuko to retreat backwards and keep her distance. He expected her to stand her ground, as she had every advantage over him right now. Suddenly, he had the hinting suspicion that they merely tricked him into thinking they were going to fight. In reality, Satsuki had wounded him in hopes that he would use up all of his power to heal himself. Now, they were going to do everything they could to keep him in his unpowered state.

"What are you talking about?" Ryuko stared in confusion.

"I knew what the plan was. I always did. Satsuki was going to use me until she decided I was no longer useful. When that time came, she would 'dispose of me'. Those were her exact words." Mason seethed.

"You overheard that conversation?" Mason whirled around to see that Satsuki had recovered.

"Damn right I did." He spat.

"Then you must have missed how we were going to send you to Nudist Beach under Mikisugi's watch."

Mason clenched his fists. "Liar!"

"There's no point in killing you Mason. Our objective is to eradicate the Life Fibers. You were never a target."

"I'm finding that very difficult to believe. After all that crap about investigating my weaknesses. Your plans to use that damn Anaesthetic Acupuncture should I ever 'turn on you'. You were just figuring out how to put me down!" He roared.

"We offered you the chance to learn more about your curse, Mason. To know your own limitations. The acupuncture was meant to soothe you so you wouldn't have to injure someone to release your built-up charge. You were always reluctant to use your Pain Surge on me, so we brainstormed how else we might discharge that power." Satsuki reasoned.

Mason visibly relaxed. "Then… why all the secrecy? Why not tell me any of this until now? Is it because you didn't trust me? Because you couldn't rely on me to stay loyal to you?"

Satsuki shook her head solemnly. "I trusted you enough to let you take part in the attack on Century Security's headquarters. We gave you the Anguish Raiment in hopes that you would be an irreplaceable asset. Not once did any of us intend on betraying you out of fear that you would turn on us."

"They can be a bunch of hard-asses at times. But, they're pretty decent people deep down." Ryuko assured him.

Mason turned his gaze away, considering their reasoning. "Maybe you're right."

Ryuko's face lit up as hope filled her heart. "Please, Mason. Help us."

"I am truly sorry, Mason. I hope you can forgive me." Satsuki spoke sincerely.

He was considering her plea when he heard a voice in his head.

_Don't get soft now. You made your decision. Follow your orders._

That was a lot easier said than done in his current state. Without any power, he was practically useless. The best he could hope for would be to convince Jarret to wound him, but he was some distance away. At that moment, Mason spotted something on the ground.

"No." He looked up at Satsuki with a grim expression. "I hope  _you_  can forgive  _me_."

Mason dived low to the ground, snatching up a bunch of the circuitry from his Anguish Raiment. He took hold of a capacitor and crushed it in his palm, grunting as the electric charge stored within escaped into him.

"Damn it." Satsuki gritted her teeth.

"Oh crap." Ryuko felt panicked when Mason turned to face her.

Mason moved towards her, but Satsuki intercepted, putting Bakuzan between them. He swatted the sword away, cutting a huge gash in his own hand in the process. Satsuki then wrapped her arm around his neck, putting him in a headlock and dragging him away from Ryuko. He grunted and swung his elbow into her gut, making her release him and keel over. He slammed his palm into her back for good measure, putting her down on the ground, motionless.

Ryuko gritted her teeth and feinted a swing at him. He didn't bat a lash despite how close the blade had come to his eyes. She slashed at him again and Mason caught her by the wrist. Within seconds he had closed in on her, locking her arm so that she couldn't bend it. He put pressure on her arm at the nerve, making her whimper in pain as her grip on the scissor blade faltered. He ripped the blade from her grip and slammed his elbow into her face.

Ryuko fell to her knees as her body struggled to resist the Agony Strike. Mason tossed her scissor blade to the side, crushing the remaining capacitors he had gathered. He grit his teeth as his body flared up with such pain that even his Stoicism was unable to fully resist. Ryuko watched fearfully as Mason got closer, unable to move her body as she watched his fore and middle fingers extend.

Mason hesitated when he saw the fear on her face.

_Steel yourself. Consider it an act of mercy if she dies without even knowing it._

He took a slow breath, standing above her. Winding his arm back, he aimed his fingers at her shoulder. He shut his eyes and thrust his hand down at her.

"Gaaahhh!" Satsuki screamed, her body convulsing.

Mason opened his eyes in surprise. Satsuki had somehow overcome the effects of Agony Strike and threw herself in front of Ryuko, shielding her. Mason stepped back, teeth bared in a snarl. He had nothing left to draw power from. He stared uselessly at Ryuko, who was just getting back control over her body. She clutched at an unconscious Satsuki, positioning her sister into a more comfortable position.

Satsuki's scream worked like an invigorating spell for the Elite Four. Nonon turned her head and tried to go over to help, but Lexi held her back. Gamagori stirred and dragged himself up, but Gale stopped him as soon as he got outside. Inumuta opened his bleary eyes, attempting to stand despite his injury. Kahn quickly set him back down when he threatened to fall flat on his face. Uzu leapt straight up, but Connor barred his way, holding both swords.

After hearing Satsuki's scream, Jarret was about to go over and check on them when he heard something distant. He looked up, spotting a VTOL in the sky, and something had just fallen out from it. The object was plummeting straight for them at dangerous speed. Jarret braced himself at the last moment as the object hit the ground and sent debris scattering like shrapnel in all directions.

The ground beneath the object was completely fractured in a two meter radius. The person, as it turned out to be, remained completely unfazed by the fall. Jarret's eyes widened when he noticed their blue visor reflecting brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Janus?" Jarret whispered in horror.

"Good job everybody." Janus announced. "I'll be taking command from here on out."

* * *

The VTOL had flown straight from the top of the skyscraper, keeping a sizeable distance from the ground. Janus insisted that the pilot stay on course, and that any attempt to descend would simply slow them down. When the pilot mentioned that they had arrived at the provided coordinates, Janus immediately told him to hover above the spot. Before he could question if she would like them to land, she had stepped out the side of the craft.

With her amour activated, Janus tucked her arms by her sides, making herself as streamline as possible. What would have taken precious minutes to land, Janus did it in mere seconds. Before hitting the ground, she finished her nosedive with a front flip that let her land on both feet. Once down on the ground, she could see some of Jarret's team keeping watch over the defeated Elite Four members. Jarret himself was standing beside the body of a masculine man, and Mason stood over an unconscious Satsuki.

Janus narrowed her eyes and smiled wryly. "Good job everybody. I'll be taking command from here on out."

She advanced toward Satsuki, spotting Bakuzan lying not far from her body. A sickening grin spread across her face, hidden by her helmet.

"Zealots! Kill those delinquents!" She called out. "Satsuki's mine."

The Zealots hesitated, looking at the Elite Four members. They stared back with sour expressions, but were surprised when the Zealots shook their heads. Instead, they turned to face Janus, placing themselves between her and the Elite Four. She frowned and looked around at them, seeing their defiant stances.

"I said  _kill them_!" She screamed.

"Belay that order!" Jarret shouted. She sneered and turned around to see him standing between herself and Satsuki.

" _Jarret?!_ " She hissed. "Get out of my way, or suffer the consequences!"

"Listen to me, Janus. You're not thinking straight. These kids don't have to die. You can send them away so they won't be a problem for you anymore, but I can't stand by and let you do this."

Janus snarled. "Zealots! Kill them  _now_!"

"Disregard that!" Jarret countermanded.

"How  _dare_  you interfere?! I'll have you killed with Satsuki and all of her criminal friends too!" She spun to face the Zealots. "The same can be said for any soldier that can't follow a simple command!"

None of them backed down, and Janus' snarl grew more fearsome.

"Fine! You all die with them! I'll kill you all myself!" She shrieked.

In an instant, Janus had turned, carrying through a punch with her movement straight into Jarret's midsection. He spluttered, and she followed with an uppercut into his jaw. Janus snatched the Fork Knife from his hand and mercilessly began cutting at him. The knife sheared giant chunks out of his armour until it reverted back to a uniform. Janus then landed a kick square into his chest, sending him flying back.

"Jarret!" Mason cried out, rushing over to him.

"I'll start with you. Satsuki Kiryuin." Janus whispered to herself.

She was almost upon her now, but someone else intercepted her once again. She barely raised the knife in time to catch the scissor blade that threatened to take her head off. Ryuko cast a furious glare into the blue visor.

"Don't you dare take a step closer to my sister, you  _bitch_!"

Janus smirked. "So you're the little slut with the Kamui. Very well, I'll be sure to let your sister see your mangled corpse before I butcher her nice and slowly."

Ryuko yelled and threw herself forward, their blades clashing with a resounding  ***SHRING!***. The force of her attack pushed Janus away from Satsuki as her feet carved grooves into the tarmac. Both now stood their ground, throwing cuts and jabs, neither making a dent on the other. Janus then angled the Fork Knife, catching Ryuko's scissor blade in the outer gap. She backhanded the girl, sending her crashing to the ground, but Ryuko retained a firm grip on her scissor blade.

Janus stepped calmly over Ryuko, laughing maniacally as she prepared to drive the knife down into her. Ryuko suddenly bounced up, swinging and catching Janus off-guard. She had to leap backwards just to avoid the surprise attack, and she barely parried Ryuko's straight lunge which had been aimed at her face. Ryuko landed a deft kick into Janus' midsection, sending her sprawling back several meters.

"Senketsu Shippu!"

Janus clambered back onto her feet just in time to spot Ryuko coming at her from a height. With all the speed Senketsu could provide, she had leapt up and came down like a meteor to hit the ground. Janus skirted to the side, but the sheer force of Ryuko's landing sent out a concussive wave that threw her back into a wall and shattered every nearby window. Ryuko came out of her flight form, walking out of the crater she had made toward Janus.

* * *

Mason crouched down beside Jarret who was groaning in pain. "Jarret! Are you alright?"

He nodded, groaning. "She got a few good hits in."

"What did you do that for? You could have died!"

"Listen to me Mason. Janus isn't thinking straight. You have to stop her, before she does something terrible."

" _Me?_  She isn't going to listen to me!"

"She doesn't need to. You have a curse. I'm sure you can figure the rest out."

"What makes you think  _I_ can stop her?"

"Because, kiddo, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure you could. You're capable of battling someone in a Kamui, so Janus shouldn't be any more difficult."

"Okay. Okay, I'll try." Mason breathed shakily.

"There's no time to waste. You have to go." Jarret urged.

Mason nodded, leaping up to his feet and approaching the vicious battle. As soon as he had turned away from Jarret, his face darkened, with even darker forces influencing his actions.

* * *

Ryuko went for a wide side stroke, narrowly missing as Janus dove under the attack. She then hurtled forward, sending a haymaker into Ryuko's stomach. She was launched back into the buildings across the street, gagging and spluttering. She looked up in time to see Janus sprinting full speed at her with the knife raised, aimed for her throat.

There was a gunshot, and the knife jerked in her hands. She came to a stop and spun around, snarling when she saw Lexi crouched down, holding her pistol up. Gale, Kahn and Connor came running past her, NRG blades in hand. Janus hefted the knife up and went to engage them, feeling it jerk in her grip again when Lexi landed another shot on it. Gale was the first to reach her, swinging his sword at her as she casually deflected it away, sending up a spray of sparks.

He went for an overhead strike and she raised the knife, letting the weapons connect. They hissed and screeched viciously against one another, until the knife sheared straight through the NRG blade. Gale glanced at his weapon in surprise and was met with several blows to the head and chest before being thrown back. Kahn and Connor were next, both swinging simultaneously so that their combined force made Janus stagger.

Once again, their blades sent up a storm of sparks as they were slowly pushing her back. Lexi even managed to get a pair of shots off, both landing on the hilt close to Janus' fingers. However, even with the two of them, the knife sliced through both blades. They were forced to retreat as Janus swung wildly at them, letting out infuriated screams. Lexi continued to deflect her attacks with precise gunfire until she ran out of ammo.

Janus' rampage was cut short when she heard an enraged shout from behind her. She turned in time to see Ryuko deliver a roundhouse kick straight into her chest, throwing her back. The Zealots retreated, discarding their useless blades. They approached Nonon and escorted her to the safety of the building Gale had been thrown into where the other Elite Four members were all sheltered.

Janus slammed into the buildings, her head taking a considerable impact. She looked up to see Ryuko winding her scissor blade back, preparing to strike her down. She waited until the last second to flick the Fork Knife up, blocking it. The scissor hit the smaller blade, and Janus immediately slid it into the gap, intent on trapping her weapon in the wall behind her.

However, she fumbled with the knife and couldn't slide the blade into the central gap. Ryuko took advantage of her predicament, overpowering her opponent and hurling the Fork Knife from her grip. Janus stood defenseless, and grunted as Ryuko drove her scissor blade against her chest. She was pushed firmly against the wall, and Ryuko flicked her blade upwards.

Janus faced the sky as she felt the air touch her face. Her helmet split in two, falling to the ground with hollow thuds. She slowly lowered her stern gaze to meet Ryuko's. She watched as Ryuko wound back her blade, the entire thing doubling in length.

"Decapitation Mode!" Ryuko shouted. "Sen'i Soshitsu!"

Janus closed her eyes, sighing softly, accepting defeat.

Satsuki regained consciousness, sitting up as something clattered close by. She looked over to see Jarret's Fork Knife sat beside Bakuzan. She then looked over to see Ryuko winding back, her impressive scissor blade about to deliver the finishing blow to Janus. But someone was running in to intercept. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was.

"Look out Ryuko!" Satsuki screamed, too late.

Ryuko swung with all her might, her entire body turning to provide additional force. The blade cleaved through the air and came to a rattling stop as it struck something.

Janus waited, but nothing had hit her yet. She opened her eyes and frowned when she spotted Mason stood between Ryuko and herself. He had his back to her, left arm raised up high with Ryuko's scissor blade buried deep inside. She smirked, pleased that at least someone was still willing to fight for her.

Ryuko's mouth hung agape, staring in horror as blood trickled down her weapon toward her hands. Mason seemed completely unfazed that her blade had just about taken his arm off. In fact, when she met his gaze, his eyes were completely devoid of anything whatsoever. He reached up and gripped the blade, pulling it out of his arm without hesitation.

He started to advance on her, striding purposefully. She had inadvertently given him power, which he was prepared to use on her. Ryuko gritted her teeth and flicked her blade around.

"Sorry Mason. But I don't have time for this!" She shouted.

She slammed the flat side of her scissor blade into his head, sending him sprawling to the ground off to the side. She focused her attention back on Janus, who hadn't made a move since. This time, Ryuko wasn't going to waste time powering up her swing. She was hopeful a normal slash would be sufficient to do the job. Bringing her scissor blade back, she gripped the handle with both hands.

"Sen'i Sosh-AAARRGGHH!" Ryuko's high pitched scream tore through the air.

After six excruciatingly long seconds, her scream turned into soft, choked whimpers.

"I'm so sorry." Mason whispered, pulling his fingers away.

He stood just behind her, his insides churning as he replayed her scream in his head. He had made a split second decision to rush her with his Pain Surge. He winced, thinking about how he could have used his Agony Strike instead, or even used himself as a shield again and then taken her weapon from her. Only when Ryuko fell to her knees and slumped backwards did the reality of what he had just done came crashing down on him.

The look of the pure torment and horror on her face froze the blood in his veins. He immediately caught her, gently lowering her down to the ground. He watched her eyes glaze over and she fell limp in his arms. Tears pricked the edges of his eyes as he held her head, staring at Ryuko's unconscious form.

 _What have I done?!_  Mason's heart hammered slow, deafening beats.

He stared at his right hand, the one responsible for this atrocity. He blamed his curse for what had happened, but really, it was only doing what  _he_  wanted it to.

 _I… I had to do it!_  Mason tried convincing himself. Though no amount of reasoning could stop the emotions rushing in to replace the shock.

Janus started laughing. Quietly at first, but gradually turning into maniacal howling.

"Very good! Very good indeed!" She hollered, walking toward them. She stooped to pick up Ryuko's scissor blade, which had returned to its normal form.

"You know, Mason. The position of being my second in command has  _very recently_  opened up. And I think you're the perfect candidate to fill that role."

Mason slowly looked up at her, staring half-quizzically, half-horrified.

"Of course, it's a contract deal. But I'll take your signature in the form of  _her_  death." She pointed the tip of the blade at Ryuko.

"What do you say?" Janus smirked evilly. She flipped the blade around and presented the hilt to him.

Mason stared at it for a long while, then back up at her, and then at Ryuko.

 _You have to let her kill Ryuko._  The voice reminded him.

"Well?" Janus prompted him.

"I… I can't." Mason muttered.

"Hmph. Then move aside." She flipped the blade back around.

Mason found he couldn't move at all. His entire being was in one big tumultuous conflict with itself.

"I said move aside." She repeated, her tone laced with impatience.

 _You will let them kill Ryuko Matoi._  Mason heard the voice demand. He shook his head, trying to ignore it.

"No… I don't want to." He whispered defiantly.

"You would dare defy me?!" Janus growled with annoyance.

 _If you cannot do it, someone else will._  The voice said louder.

"Please, no…" He begged.

"Last chance. Move or I'll kill you both!" Janus screamed.

 _You must let her kill Ryuko._  Mason shut his eyes as the voice screamed in his head.

"Shut up!" He yelled forcefully.

Ryuko let out a small gasp. His eyes shot open. She was awake and staring at him. The look of betrayal and terror on her face made his entire body go cold. Her starry blue eyes bore into his, and he could see a monster reflecting back from within them. She tore herself from his grasp, and when he went to touch her, she wriggled away in fear.

"No…" Ryuko whimpered, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." His voice trembled.

 _If only I could take it back. If only I had the power to save you!_  Mason closed his eyes to stop himself from tearing up again.

He reached out again, and despite her attempts to pull away, he placed his hand on her shoulder. He immediately recoiled, feeling an unpleasant spark upon contact. Ryuko seemed to feel something too, as she gave him a look of confusion. He looked at his hand, and then back at her, going wide-eyed as he could see his reflection in her eyes.

It was smiling gently at him.

_Siphon._

Mason caught his breath as he heard the voice. The  _real_ voice.

_Do not let them kill Ryuko Matoi._

He stared dumbfounded as realisation hit him. Of course this thing didn't want Ryuko dead. Why would it have given back her Kamui and scissor blade if that were the case? Why would it return Bakuzan to Satsuki if she was on her sister's side? This thing had been trying to tell him this whole time that he was meant to be protecting Ryuko alongside them.

And he just screwed it all up.

 _Mason, you idiot! How could you possibly be so stupid?!_  He seethed, furious with himself.

He paused. He heard the full message. That meant he had to have discovered his last ability. The voice had said… 'Siphon'. And before that, it had provided him a certain hint…

"Your pain…" Mason looked to Ryuko with renewed hope. He gripped her shoulder, inhaling sharply through clenched teeth.

Ryuko frowned as his face contorted with pain. Meanwhile, all the aches and pains she had been feeling were starting to fade, until eventually they were gone entirely.

"…  _is my power_!"

Mason stood abruptly and spun, knocking the scissor blade from Janus' grip.

"What do you think you're-!" Janus was cut off when Mason slugged her in the gut, making her double over.

His fist flew up in an uppercut, slamming into her jaw. Another hit from the right, the left, the right again, and then in the chest. Janus staggered back, in shock from the sheer strength of his hits. He screamed as he threw his entire weight forward in a haymaker aimed at her face. She tried deflecting it, but she couldn't match the strength that he had conjured from seemingly nowhere.

Her head flung back and she cried out in anguish. He delivered another savage haymaker into her midsection, making her stagger back further. Mason had pushed her back away from Ryuko. Now it was time to fulfil his task.

Janus shrieked as she wound back her arm, throwing forward a punch. Mason evaded, letting it fly past his face. He grappled her wrist and danced around behind her, dragging her arm up her back. He pointed his two fingers out and stabbed them into Janus' side.

She let out a blood curdling scream, entire body convulsing violently. Mason too was letting out a strained scream through gritted teeth.

The electric current coursed through her uniform to shock Janus. However, the electrical energy also flowed into the armour plating that covered her body. It backfired straight into the hand that was holding her arm up against her back. His entire body ignited in agony, as not even Stoicism could withstand the traumatic power of a Pain Surge.

With Mason's fingers locked in place, he couldn't sever the electric flow even if he tried. To make matters worse, as he was tormented by his own Pain Surge, he was also generating more charge. Luckily, the electric current favoured assaulting Janus' body as there was more surface area compared to his hand. Because of this, the charge in Mason's body slowly declined, until the last of it passed into Janus.

The result was twenty-seven seconds of pure torture for the both of them before the surge ceased.

Janus had a distressed expression on her face, eyes staring blankly ahead. She fell forward onto her knees, and then flat on her face with a  ***THUD***. Mason remained standing for a brief moment longer, shock etched on his features. Finally, gravity dictated that he was to collapse backwards. Although his eyes were open, he could see only blackness, and the last thing he felt was himself falling, his mind completely shutting down.

His eyes rolled up and he began to fall. Ryuko leapt up and shot forward. She grabbed him, easing him down until he was laying with his head in her lap. She sat on her knees, cradling his head gently between her thighs, staring at him with concern. She looked up when she heard footsteps.

Satsuki stood over them, her brows furrowed as she stared at Mason. Not far away, Jarret was back on his feet and had recovered his Fork Knife. Satsuki followed her gaze, raising up Bakuzan in preparation upon seeing him. Jarret shook his head, and they saw the red hue fade from his weapon.

"You seriously want to keep fighting?" He asked, deadpanned.

Satsuki narrowed her eyes. "There's no way we can win. But I'm not about to surrender."

He gave her a sombre look. "If you ask me, nobody is coming out of this a winner."

She followed his gaze when he looked toward her right. She spotted the Elite Four alongside the Zealots who were helping them stand.

"Where can we take your friends so that we can give them proper medical attention?"

Satsuki frowned and looked back toward Jarret. He stared at her blankly, waiting patiently for her response. She inclined her head toward the Mankanshoku's home. The Zealots required no further invitation as they carried the injured toward the house. She saw Jarret tap into his earpiece as he spoke to Chase, telling him to meet up with the group at the APC's.

Jarret then approached Satsuki, and she raised her blade slightly in response. He came to a stop just in front of her.

"I'm prepared to put aside our differences. Are you?" Jarret said seriously.

She hesitated, but eventually lowered her blade. "For now."

"Good." Jarret then pointed at Janus. "Now help me cut that damn uniform off my boss."


	26. Mission Accomplished

An hour passed by in a flash, with EMT's flying in from Century Security HQ to lend aid. Dr. Tynan himself made an appearance, as requested by Jarret, to personally tend to both Janus and Mason. Much to Satsuki's relief, the Elite Four were adequately looked after, and she was told that they simply needed a few days rest to fully recover. The Zealots were relatively unharmed, with just a few bruises and cuts.

Jarret refused any medical attention whatsoever, insisting that the medics focus on Satsuki and Ryuko instead. Satsuki was heavily beaten, though there was no lasting damage from the effects of the curse. Ryuko, on the other hand, was in perfect shape, without a single mark on her body. Literally. This baffled just about everybody, including herself, as she was certain she had a few scars, all of which were now absent.

Satsuki lightly rapped on the door to Ryuko's room before stepping inside. Sleeping on the bed immediately in front of her was Janus, who looked at relative peace. Jarret was standing by her side, arms folded and leaning against the wall. He gave her a curt nod and she did the same. She turned her attention to the right, where Mason lay on Ryuko's bed. Dr. Tynan was sat beside the boy, reading data off his smart device.

"How are they?" Satsuki asked.

"They're doing fine. For now." Dr. Tynan said without looking up. "Vitals are stable. No visible damage to their central nervous systems. It seems your concerns were for naught."

"I'm surprised, seeing as how long that Pain Surge lasted." Jarret commented idly.

"Agreed. I would have anticipated some brain damage at the very least, but there's nothing." Dr. Tynan shrugged.

"What about Ryuko? Any idea why she's suddenly  _missing_  injuries rather than covered in them?" Satsuki furrowed her brow.

Again, Dr. Tynan shrugged. "I cannot say for certain. But your verbal reports of the event indicate that our dear friend Mason here is somehow responsible."

Satsuki exhaled sharply. "Very well. I'll leave you two alone then."

"Satsuki." She stopped and turned at Jarret's voice. "Thanks for letting us stay here."

"Thank the Mankanshoku's." She replied crisply before leaving.

Later that day, recovery teams had salvaged the helicopter crash and reclaimed both APC's. The vehicles were taken away, and the Centurion forces returned to HQ, leaving only Jarret and Dr. Tynan behind to look after Janus and Mason. By morning, neither patient had made any significant progress toward recovery, as far as Dr. Tynan could tell.

Both Jarret and Dr. Tynan sat with Satsuki and the others, discussing Janus' extreme shift in personality and how it linked with the uniform. Their collaborative efforts, and the results of her blood test provided by Dr. Tynan, led them to a disturbing conclusion. The uniform had been subtly altering her body chemistry to make her more aggressive. Furthermore, it had been synthesising synthetic compounds that acted like hallucinogens, making her paranoid.

Through what mechanism it was achieving these tasks was beyond their comprehension. All that Dr. Tynan could tell them was that when she wore her uniform, the hallucinogens would mostly likely become inactive, while increasing her hostility. The moment she took it off, the inverse would occur, and she would become increasingly perturbed by apparitions or vivid dreams that encouraged her to wear the uniform again.

When questioned why the uniform simply didn't transform into a monster when worn, Mikisugi came up with a plausible answer. Going along the lines of the theory that Life Fibers were responsible for the evolution of mankind, he suggested that they still had the capacity to influence their wearers. In this case, conditioning humans to protect them.

As Life Fibers had no known methods of reproducing without turning the planet into a Celestial Cocoon, their numbers had dwindled to the point of near extinction. In response, they became highly dependent on their hosts for survival. Knowing that Janus was a powerful leader, it attempted to use her to eradicate any existing threats to Life Fibers.

This threat was Satsuki. Mason had helped to paint a target on her back by explaining to Janus that she wanted to exterminate the Life Fibers. After learning this, the uniform had convinced her to launch an attack in order to remove the immediate threat.

"I see now why you all despise the Life Fibers as much as you do." Jarret remarked.

"Indeed. Their parasitic nature is very adaptable, and their hive mind intelligence lets them strategize effectively. Though without the Primordial Life Fiber to govern them, they resort to self-preservation. As would most organisms when they are threatened with extinction." Dr. Tynan added.

"Even to go so far as to manipulate their hosts into protecting them." Mikisugi grimaced.

They all went silent for a moment, until Jarret clapped a hand against the table.

"Right. I'm going to check on Janus and Mason." He stood and began walking away.

After a beat, Satsuki stood up and followed after him. He was halfway down the corridor when she called his name. He stopped and turned, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Mind if we talk?" She asked.

"Not at all. What's on your mind?"

"I've been thinking about your recent efforts to assist us." She began.

"I noticed that you were in deep thought. You barely spoke a word."

She inhaled slowly. "I wanted to thank you."

His face lit up in surprise. "I have no idea what I've done, but you don't need to mention it."

"I do. You've cooperated with exceptional grace and altruism. Meanwhile, I have acted callous and ungrateful, and yet you continue to tolerate my inappropriate behaviour."

He chuckled. "Thank you for the compliments, my Lady."

"I hope you can accept my sincere apology." She bowed her head to him.

He smirked. "Hey. Chin up. That submissive look doesn't suit you."

Satsuki looked back up and gave him a small smirk. Their conversation was terminated when the door behind Jarret swung open. He turned to see Janus stumble out of Ryuko's room, her hands clawing at the walls as she looked about ready to collapse. He quickly rushed over and draped one arm around his shoulders, keeping her upright.

"Hey, take it easy." He whispered.

The sudden commotion attracted the others attention and they all came out into the corridor. Satsuki hurried over to help bring Janus back into Ryuko's room.

"You need to lie down, Miss Century."

"I'm… fine…" She strained to speak, her legs giving out as the two of them grunted and carried her back to bed.

Once they had her sat down, Dr. Tynan started running basic tests on. After a few minutes, he concluded that she was just disoriented and needed more rest. Jarret fetched her some water and a small amount of food before she settled back into bed. It wasn't long before she woke with a scream, cold sweats drenching her body. Luckily, Jarret hadn't left her side, and he was quickly with her.

"What's wrong?" He furrowed his brow. She had tears in her eyes.

"It was him. The man that killed my father. He came in here. He was holding a knife…" She said in a petrified tone.

Jarret went about explaining what her uniform had done to her, and that she was still suffering from the hallucinogens. She was mortified to learn how she had been afflicted and used in such a way.

"So Satsuki was right all along…"

"Seems that way."

She was silent for a moment, frowning in deep thought.

"So how much longer am I going to have these horrible nightmares?"

"I can't say. You'll just have to endure it until it clears out of your system. I'm sorry."

Janus closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. "They seem so real. Like he was really there…"

"Hey now. It was just a bad dream, because I sure didn't see him. And if I did, I would've dealt with him. Again."

Janus calmed down and nodded slightly. "Yeah… I know you would."

"If it helps, try and think that I'm there with you." He gave her a reassuring grin.

She smiled back. "I'll try that."

When she finally got back to sleep, the door opened to admit Dr. Tynan, followed closely by Satsuki and Ryuko. He was heading over to sit beside Mason, holding his smart device and a small box. Opening the box to revealed two separated spaces inside. He produced a thin needle attached to a white strip from one of these sections. Ryuko visibly went pale upon seeing the needle and took a pace back.

Dr. Tynan gently pricked Mason's arm with the needle, letting his blood drain onto the strip. He pulled it out and dabbed the area with an alcoholic swab. Flicking open a section on the side of his smart device, he fed the strip in and then stared at the screen. His eyes darted across the screen and he idly ran his finger across one end to the other several times.

Satisfied with what he saw, he took the strip out and discarded it into the other section of the box. He then took out a stethoscope from his coat. It was distinctly different from a normal one, as instead of going into his ears, it plugged directly into his smart device. He pressed the diaphragm to Mason's chest and held it there momentarily. He stared at the screen and frowned after a moment.

"What's wrong?" Satsuki immediately asked.

"I'm not sure…" Dr. Tynan murmured. "But he's getting worse."

"Worse?" Ryuko failed to hide the concern in her voice.

"Yes. His heart rate has slowed immensely." He moved the stethoscope around and grimaced. "And he's barely even breathing."

They watched anxiously as he put his hand to Mason's forehead next. He shook his head, frowning.

"Does he have a temperature?" Ryuko asked nervously.

"The very opposite. He's freezing." He pulled his hand away.

"Is there anything we can do?" Satsuki queried.

Dr. Tynan pursed his lips. "I can try several things, but they're only temporary measures. We just have to hope he'll steadily come back."

"I'll go get some extra blankets." Ryuko whispered as she disappeared out of the room.

When she returned, Satsuki had a deep frown on her face and Jarret was watching with a sad expression. Dr. Tynan himself appeared mystified and concerned at the same time.

"How did it go?" She asked hesitantly.

"He isn't responding to any of my treatments." Dr. Tynan said in a hushed voice.

Ryuko gulped and looked at Mason's still form.

"Perhaps we should come back in the morning. He might improve by then." Satsuki suggested.

Dr. Tynan nodded and sighed. "Yes. There's nothing more we can really do for him anyway."

Ryuko watched as Satsuki walked out of the room, followed by Dr. Tynan after he collected his equipment up. She carried over the spare blanket and lay it on top of him. She unfurled it to reveal her scarf which she had taken with her also. She gingerly lifted his head up and wrapped it around his neck, pulling the additional blanket up to his chin.

"That's real nice of you." Jarret smirked. She turned to him and blushed slightly.

"I thought it might help." She said in a small voice.

"I'm sure it will do him wonders. And it'll be a nice surprise when he wakes up." He smiled gently.

Ryuko couldn't help but give him an embarrassed smile. "I hope so."

The rest of the day went painfully slow for her. By morning, Ryuko was anxiously standing next to Satsuki as they watched Dr. Tynan check on Mason's condition. She already knew that he hadn't improved. He had gone extremely pale, and he was as cold as a corpse. Dr. Tynan sighed dejectedly, shaking his head.

"His vitals have declined even further. At this rate, he'll be gone by sunset."

" _Sunset?!_ " Ryuko let out a horrified whisper.

"I'm sorry. He isn't responding to anything I provide him. I've exhausted every avenue, and yet he continues to weaken."

Satsuki nodded solemnly. "You've done more than enough, doctor."

Jarret appeared from the doorway, entering the room. "How is he?"

Dr. Tynan gave him a slight shake of his head. Jarret simply nodded, looking crestfallen.

"Once you're finished here, doctor, your ride is waiting outside. Though I will mention that Janus is rather anxious to get back to HQ."

"Thank you, Mr. Galda. Seeing as there's nothing more I can do, I will gather my things immediately." They watched him leave, but Jarret remained where he was.

"You're not going with them?" Satsuki asked.

"I think I'll wait around, see if he wakes up." Jarret indicated Mason.

"The doctor said he had until sunset…" Ryuko hesitated. "By then he'll be…"

"You don't have to say it. In that case, I'll go after nightfall." Jarret shrugged. He silently left the room, leaving only Satsuki and Ryuko.

Satsuki rest a hand on Ryuko's shoulder, squeezing gently. "I'll be outside if you want to talk."

Ryuko simply nodded and heard her leave, closing the door behind her. She took a seat beside Mason, staring glumly at his ghostly white face. She tentatively reached out and gripped his hand.

"Please wake up…" She whispered.

* * *

Mason found himself floating freely when he awoke. He distinctly remembered where he was. It was the very same place as the night he died. The night that he was cursed.

"Back here?" He mumbled.

 _Indeed_.

Mason sighed. "You again."

_Me. Again._

"I did what you asked of me."

_You did._

"So… What now?"

_What do you think?_

"Well, I'm clearly here for a reason. Do you have something to tell me?"

_I do._

"Well, spit it out."

_You won't be waking up._

"What?!"

_You stand at the precipice of death. Again._

"What's wrong with me? Am I dying?"

_Yes. What's wrong is_ _**you** _ _._

"The hell does that mean?"

_Your body is deteriorating because you no longer wish to live._

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

_You already know._

It didn't take long for Mason to think about what happened to Ryuko. Caused by his own hands. His curse. He had resented it since then. Even going so far as to regret ever taking it in the first place.

"Oh." He suddenly realised.

He wanted it to be taken from him. And now, it was going to take his life with it.

_Correct._

He exhaled depressingly. "Go ahead. You were just going to take it back anyway. I don't want to live the rest of my life bringing about nothing but misery to others."

_Even if it causes more grief than if you did?_

"What? Who would…" His mind flashed to Ryuko.

_One of many._

Mason hesitated. "I can't. I'm afraid that I'll cause them pain. That's all I can do with my curse. I hate it."

_That is the point of your curse._

"What do you mean?"

_Power can be abused. If you hate your power, you won't abuse it. You resent pain. So you were granted the abilities to cause endless suffering to others._

"So I'm discouraged from using my own powers? That's pretty smart." He chuckled.

_You still have doubts._

"Yeah. How am I supposed to control it? So that I don't accidentally use it on someone I don't mean to."

_Others have already compensated for your concern. Without 'charge' you are harmless._

"I guess." There was a long pause. "Why are you offering me to keep the curse anyway?"

_To continue with your task._

"But I did it. I stopped Janus from killing Ryuko."

_The task states 'them'. Not an individual. So long as Ryuko Matoi is alive, your task will never be complete._

"Fantastic. So I have to live the rest of my life protecting her?"

_Is that so bad?_

He could somehow imagine it grinning slyly at him.

"No. I guess not. But I don't want this curse to bring her any more harm."

_Then don't let it. That is up to you. Use your powers to protect her, as I originally intended._

"I, uh… I really screwed that up, didn't I?"

_Yes. But I had faith in you the entire way._

"You did?" He said doubtfully.

_I'm not the only one. There are others who hold you in high regard._

He remembered what Satsuki had said about trusting him. Jarret too had complete confidence that he could defeat Janus. Even the Elite Four and the Zealots had come to believe in him. And Ryuko…

No. Surely he had to have completely dismantled any trust between them after his actions.

_Yet you still cling to hope._

"I do." He admitted after a beat.

_You like to think that perhaps you can be redeemed in her eyes._

"Will you ever stop reading my thoughts?" He asked in annoyance.

_I like to reinforce your optimistic beliefs._

"Maybe so. But it still feels invasive."

_It's not like I peruse all of your thoughts at every given moment. I tend to disregard most of your inappropriate ideas. Like when you tried picturing Ryuko na-_

"Okay! I get it." He interrupted before it could say anything more.

_I will say this though. That's definitely not how she looks._

If Mason could have given him an incredulous look, he would have. He was then surprised to hear laughter of all things.

"I honestly didn't think you were capable of humour."

_Now you know. Though we have gotten off track. So, shall you choose to stay and continue, or will you surrender this opportunity? I will give you as much time as you need to think._

Mason was plunged into silence. With nothing else to do, he spent a considerable amount of time in careful consideration. Eventually, he lost track of how long he had spent musing in the eternal darkness.

Finally, he made up his mind.

_Good choice._

"Were you waiting on me that entire time?"

_I am very patient._

"Clearly. So how long will it take for me to wake up?"

_When you're ready._

"I'm ready  _now_. I don't want to keep them worried."

_Very well. You know where to find me should you wish to talk._

* * *

Ryuko sniffed despondently, wiping away the small rivers that had come to form on her cheeks. She fretted as the orange glow of the sun was becoming dimmer by the moment. Her hand had been holding his the entire time, stroking his knuckles to and fro. The door to her room opened slowly as Satsuki stepped in quietly.

"Your dinner is going cold."

"I'm not hungry."

"Yes you are. You've been in here all day without having anything since breakfast."

"Oh. I didn't realise." Ryuko said without sparing her a glance.

"You can eat and come back you know." Satsuki narrowed her eyes.

"I'll do that." Ryuko mumbled.

"We both know you won't. Don't make me drag you out by your hair."

Ryuko looked up at her. Satsuki seemed pretty serious about acting on her threat.

She let out a deep sigh, "I'll be out in a second."

Ryuko tightly clutched Mason's hand before reluctantly placing it down. Satsuki seemed convinced by that and turned to leave. Before she could get out the door, Ryuko called her name quietly.

"What is it?"

"Do you think, maybe… Ragyo wasn't such a bad person once? Before she became obsessed with the Life Fibers?"

Satsuki frowned in contemplation. "I wouldn't know."

"Just seeing how they affected Janus, it got me thinking. Maybe they corrupted our mother like they did her."

"It's a possibility." Satsuki paused briefly. "Just another reason to eradicate them permanently."

"Yeah. Guess so."

Without another word, Satsuki departed, leaving the door slightly ajar. Ryuko stood up and went to leave, stopping to turn around and take one last glance at Mason.

"He will be okay, Ryuko." Senketsu said softly.

"I know." She bluffed.

When she went out of her room she realised how nippy the weather was, even with her jacket over Senketsu. The kitchen was devoid of company, with a single light on and a plate of Sukuyo's croquettes sat to one side. Ryuko sat down and slowly munched down on one, mindlessly chewing as her thoughts wandered elsewhere. She had already lost her appetite by the second croquette, but continued to slowly nibble on it regardless.

It was keeping her mind preoccupied, and she tried to focus on what she would do for work now that Tsumugu's store was gone. When she came back to the present, she looked out the nearby window to notice that it was pitch black outside. She felt a heaving in her chest and curled in on herself, bringing her knees up to her chest. She hadn't particularly taken notice of how frigid the temperature was, which was making her shiver.

Somebody else noticed though.

"This belongs to you." A voice came from behind her.

Ryuko gasped as her scarf was wrapped around her neck. It was surprisingly warm. She turned her head to see Mason staring at her with a small smile. She stared for a moment in stunned silence before leaping out of the chair at him. It toppled over, clattering to the ground as she almost sent them both tumbling after it.

He caught her embrace and hugged her back, feeling her squeeze the breath out of him. He wrapped her up in the blanket that he had taken with him when he woke up. She nuzzled against his chest, feeling the chills melt away to be replaced by the welcoming warmth.

"I'm so glad you're awake…" She said through choked gasps.

Mason lowered his gaze. "You are?"

He felt her nod, hugging him even tighter. She then pulled away to look up at him, seeing small traces of tears in her eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I mean, after what I did?" His face fell. "You looked terrified of me."

Ryuko looked down for a moment and then pulled one hand away. She hit him in the side none too gently, then went back to hugging him.

"There. We're even now."

"You know that didn't hurt me, right?" He grinned.

She pouted and poked her tongue out at him. He feigned a shocked expression that made her giggle.

"Ouch! My feelings." He said sarcastically. "On a more serious note, I wouldn't advise injuring me. I don't want to accidentally use my powers on you."

She shrunk away guiltily. "Oh, sorry."

He looked over toward the table, spotting the croquettes, one of which was halfway eaten.

"I didn't mean to disturb your meal." He said apologetically.

She raised her eyebrows in question and followed his gaze. "Oh, not at all. Though you must be starving."

Before he could respond she was tugging him over to take a seat. He freed her from the blanket so she could fix her chair while he pulled one up beside her. They sat beside one another and draped the blanket over their laps, pulling the plate between them. Her appetite had spontaneously returned and she wolfed down the last of her second croquette.

She handed him the fork and let him dig into one, seeing the delight on his face.

"Mm. That's good." He praised.

"It seems everyone likes Sukuyo's croquettes." Ryuko grinned. "Jarret devoured half the plate the other night, and Janus was hesitant to try them at first, but she ended up liking them too."

Mason looked at her in surprise. "They're here?"

Ryuko pursed her lips. "Not quite. Janus left this morning. But Jarret said he would stick around until nightfall though."

"And here I am." They turned their heads to see him leaning against the wall in the corridor.

"When did you get there?" Ryuko stared quizzically.

"Just now. I thought I'd get a sneak peek at the two lovebirds." He grinned roguishly, seeing them both cuddled up in the blanket.

"We are not lovebirds!" Ryuko blushed.

"We're not?" Mason faked a hurt expression.

Ryuko looked at him in surprise. "You mean…?"

"Hm?" Mason encouraged her to continue.

"It's just… I don't know if… you… uh…" Ryuko stumbled over her words. Realisation then dawned on her face. "Wait. You're making fun of me!"

Her suspicions were confirmed when a large grin spread across his face. She folded her arms and made a pouty face at him. He reached around and gently stroked her arm, hugging her close.

"You're so cute when you're flustered." He said softly. She immediately relaxed and cast her gaze away to hide a blush.

"Oh, kiss already you two." Jarret laughed.

"Shut up!" Ryuko's face burned with embarrassment.

"Relax. I'll be out of your hair soon enough so you can both confess your love for one another." Jarret chuckled as he walked up to the table, taking a seat.

Ryuko refrained from making a retort. Instead, she cast a nervous glance at Mason, though he didn't take notice.

"It's good to see you up and about again." Jarret said to Mason.

"Thanks. I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you would have been driven out by Satsuki."

He shrugged. "The benevolent young Lady gave us permission to stay."

"They made a truce." Ryuko explained. "After they lent us aid, Satsuki eventually came to trust them. Janus was also much nicer than we first thought."

Mason seemed bewildered that they had come to a ceasefire, considering how reluctant Satsuki was to even listen to them in the first place. Upon questioning what else he had missed, the two of them took turns recounting all that had transpired.

"Well I'm glad that you guys made up and put all your bad blood behind you."

"Me too." Jarret agreed. "And as a show of good faith, Janus is going to surrender custody of the remaining Life Fibers to Satsuki."

"What about her plans for them?" Mason asked.

"She said we'll make do without them." Jarret shrugged. "They already proved to be more trouble than they're worth."

"Yeah. The whole uniform taking over Janus thing is pretty messed up." Mason agreed.

"Indeed. To think I could have lost her in such a way is harrowing."

"Look who has the romantic love interest now." Ryuko said smugly.

Jarret laughed. "I suppose you may be right about that. On that note, we would like to extend an offer to you, Mason. How would you feel about taking up residence at Century Security HQ?"

Mason stared with a stunned expression. "Like, just live there? In one of those apartment-like rooms?"

"Yup. There's no obligation to work for us either. You can come and go as you please, free of charge. The room would be on the same floor that my team and I live on. And of course, Ryuko can come visit anytime she likes."

Jarret gave her a knowing wink, making her look away bashfully.

"I don't know. I already technically have a house here in Konru. I just can't afford any of the bills for it." Mason sighed.

Jarret gave him a sly grin. "I think we can help you with that. Though it may take some time before we get around to it."

"What about Satsuki and the Elite Four? Where are they going to stay?" Mason asked.

"Janus has plans to reconstruct her mansion. Until then, Satsuki and her friends are welcome to stay at HQ too. She also offered to rebuild that Mohawk guy's shop, but he refused." Jarret shrugged.

"That's generous of her."

"She felt responsible for majority of the property damage." Jarret received shifty stares from them both. "Okay. We were responsible for  _all_  the damage."

"I'll have to think about that accommodation, if that's okay."

"Our door is open to you at any time. Well that's all I had to say. I should really head back to HQ. It's rather late." Jarret stood and nodded curtly to the two of them.

"You're welcome to stay another night." Ryuko offered.

"Nah. Janus left me the VTOL to fly back. I've been waiting all day to pilot that thing." Jarret said excitedly. "You both take care of one another. Especially you, Mason. Take  _very_  good care of her."

"I'll do my best." Mason nodded. Ryuko blushed a little and nodded too.

Jarret turned on his heel and exited the front door, heading around the Mankanshoku's home. He walked some distance before coming to the VTOL which had been sitting in the same open field that Ryuko and Satsuki had fought on. After a short start up sequence, he had it in the air and flew it effortlessly back to the Century Security skyscraper.

Meanwhile, Mason and Ryuko continued eating. She offered him the plate, knowing that he probably needed more of a feed than herself. Instead, he picked one up and held it to her lips. She tentatively took a bite out of it, blushing as he smirked at her with a dreamy look on his face.

"That scarf looks better on you than it did me." Mason commented.

"I'm surprised you kept it. The hoodie too."

"Couldn't get myself to part with them. Too many good memories associated with you."

"That's sweet." A joyous smile spread across her face.

"What I did was pretty awful though. To have used my Pain Surge on you like that." Mason looked down, disheartened.

"That did hurt. A lot. More than when I tore Junketsu off. And it was stitched onto me."

"That sounds  _really_  bad."

"It was. But I didn't get all of my cuts and scrapes healed over afterwards either."

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever you did to me, all the pain I felt went away. Not only that, but I don't have a single scar left on my body either. Even those that I've had for years. They're all gone."

"It's true. It's as if you completely repaired her body." Senketsu added.

"So you  _can_  talk." Mason stared in surprise at the Kamui's one good eye.

"Yes. I typically reserve such interactions until I know a person is trustworthy enough."

"Senketsu!" Ryuko glared down at him.

Mason chuckled. "It's okay. I completely understand. I'm glad you think of me as trustworthy."

"You earned it after what you did for Ryuko."

Mason glanced at his hand, remembering how much it hurt when he touched her. Whatever 'Siphon' was, it seemed to have the completely opposite effect of Pain Surge. Perhaps not  _all_  of his abilities were meant to hurt others after all.

"That's a pretty amazing power you got, I have to say." Ryuko gave him a genuine smile.

"It's not every day a super-hot chick in her kick-ass Kamui gives out a compliment." Mason teased.

"I'm giving out free ass whooping's too, you know." Ryuko remarked.

"If you beat me up, then who else is going to feed you these delicious croquettes?" Mason held another up to her. She bit into it, holding it between her teeth.

"I dunno." She mumbled.

"That's what I thought." Mason grinned. "So how are the others? I recall thrashing them pretty badly."

"They'll live. Century Security offered much better medical aid than Barazo could offer. They should be back on their feet soon enough."

"I was thinking if my Siphon worked on you, maybe I could help them out too."

"Is that what you're calling it? It looked like it hurt you a lot."

"Well I did hit you with a Pain Surge before I used it."

"That's true. Maybe tomorrow though, when they're awake?"

"Good idea. Speaking of which, we should consider where we'll be sleeping tonight."

Ryuko tilted her head to the side, giving him a puzzled look. "Why?"

"There was only one bed in the room that I woke up in."

"Yeah. It's technically mine."

"I think it's only fair I sleep on the floor then."

"Or… you could sleep with me…?" Ryuko whispered, blushing brightly.

Mason looked at her curiously. "I'm okay with letting you have the bed. Honestly."

"And I'm okay sharing the bed with you. Honestly."

Mason cocked an eyebrow. "Stubborn doesn't begin to describe you."

"It really doesn't. Come on."

Ryuko stood and took him by the arm, leading him back to the bedroom. She ditched her jacket and slid into bed. Mason pulled away the cold spare blanket and lay the warmer one they had been sharing on top of her. He pulled off his hoodie and folded it up, intending on using it as a makeshift pillow.

"I'm serious about the whole floor thing, you know."

"Oh, hush." Ryuko grabbed hold of his arm and yanked. Both the hoodie and spare blanket fell to the floor as he was dragged onto the bed with her.

"Okay, okay." Mason said nervously.

It was large enough for the both of them to sleep side by side without touching, but Ryuko had her cheek nuzzled up against his shoulder. Mason stared down at her, bemused by the look she was giving him.

"What are you thinking about right now?" He asked slowly.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ryuko carefully raised her left hand up to rest on his chest, her Seki Tekko precariously close to her lips. She inched forward and opened her mouth to nibble at the pin.

Mason raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Ryuko batted her lashes innocently, never taking her eyes off him.

"Cheeky." Mason smirked, shaking his head.

"I dunno what you're talking about." She stared suggestively.

"I do not consent." Senketsu stated.

"I think you should listen to your Kamui." Mason looked between her and the uniform's one good eye.

"I'm thinking otherwise." Ryuko began inching the pin out slowly.

"Is it wise to Synchronise right here, right now?" Mason said with concern.

"Maybe not. But who's going to stop me?" Ryuko challenged.

Mason tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Fair point."

"I would much rather not be involved in this intimate contact between you two." Senketsu eyeballed them both.

Ryuko looked down at him sternly. "Okay. Fine."

She sat up, pulling Senketsu off and throwing him to the nearby chair, followed by her scarf that fell over his eye. She then sprawled herself on top of Mason.

"Woah, uh. Are you… sure… about this?" Mason said awkwardly, averting his eyes.

"It just means I need to stay closer to you to keep warm tonight." Ryuko said, making a cat face.

"If you say so." Mason murmured awkwardly. Nevertheless, he draped the blanket back over her so that it covered her now mostly exposed body.

Ryuko fidgeted, unable to find a comfortable spot to rest her head on Mason. After some time, she realised that there was a nagging concern that was keeping her from falling asleep. She juggled the problem around for a while longer, thinking about how she could approach it. Suddenly she pushed herself up so that she was propped up above him.

"Mason?" She looked down at him, her face merely centimeters away.

"Yes, Ryuko?" Mason stared into her vibrant blue eyes.

"Is this what couples would normally do?" She shifted uncomfortably.

"I have no idea. Maybe." He shrugged.

"Does that mean… we're… a couple…?" Ryuko's cheeks reddened a little.

"Would you like us to be?" Mason kept a neutral face.

"Sort of. Maybe. Yes." Ryuko averted her gaze from his. Her eyes widened when she felt him pull her back down and gave her a gentle peck on the lips.

"I'd be happy to." Mason grinned lazily. She beamed, leaning down to kiss him harder.

"Thank you, Mason." She whispered, laying her head back down on his chest.

Mason caressed her hair, feeling her snuggle into him in response. He held her close, arms wrapped around her in an embrace. Her fidgeting had stopped, and she was soon sound asleep. After a while, he too drifted off into peaceful slumber.

* * *

Jarret lowered the VTOL to the roof of the skyscraper, landing gracefully. The night crew lowered the bird into the building while he made his way to the elevator. He descended down the floors, heading straight to his room. He opened the door and froze upon seeing somebody else in his bed. It was Janus, cloaked in his sheets and asleep. Jarret silently closed the door so he wouldn't wake her.

"Late night huh?"

Jarret smirked and turned around, seeing her wide awake. "Yeah. You could say that."

"You kept me waiting." She said with a sad tone.

"I apologise, ma'am. Though, may I ask what you needed me for?"

"Your company." Janus looked him straight in the eye.

"I see." Jarret looked around and saw what he assumed were her clothes, neatly piled on his dresser.

"I wanted to say thank you for your loyalty all these years. I also wanted to apologise for my behaviour these past few days. And above all I wanted to say that I… appreciate you being around for me." Janus blushed.

"I remember you telling me similar things this morning. Multiple times." Jarret smirked.

"I know. I'm sorry. But I'm still having those dreams, and nothing else helps. You're the only one that genuinely makes me feel safe." Janus confessed.

Jarret gave her a reassuring smile. "Would it help you if I were here to protect you for another night?"

"Maybe more than just tonight." Janus gave him a hopeful grin. He returned it and nodded.

"Give me one moment to get changed. I'll be right out." Jarret indicated a nearby door that led to his en-suite.

Janus nodded and watched as he sauntered out of sight, closing the door behind him. He took off his dirty clothes and stowed them. He was washing his face when he noticed the lights began to flicker. Shadows engulfed the room and the mirror clouded before revealing something. He stood up straight, taking the time to dry his face before staring into the mirror.

"Checking up on me, are we?"

_It's in my best interests that I check on you._

"Well, I can say mission accomplished. Ryuko Matoi has been protected. For now."

_I'm aware. Well done. Impressive work as always._

"How about my acting skills? Pretty good, don't you think?"

_One of the many reasons you were chosen for this assignment._

"Speaking of which, are there any further orders you have for me?"

_Your objective to protect Janus Century has not changed, but has been lowered to priority two. Have they have begun development of resonance technology?_

"To an extent. It's still in its primitive stages."

_If possible, I would like you to procure a sample for me._

"I'll see what I can do. If I might inquire, what's priority one now?"

_Protection of Ryuko Matoi. You are to assist Mason and the others where necessary in fulfilling that objective._

"At your behest. What's the status of our… visitors?"

_They are coming._

"Understood. That's all. Thank you, my Lord."

_No. Thank_ _**you** _ _. Keep up the good work, Zero-Four-Nine._

Jarret watched as the image dispersed from the mirror. The darkness lifted as the light permeated throughout the room once more. Jarret exhaled slowly, smirking at his own reflection. He headed back out the door, climbing into his bed with Janus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you avid readers for reaching the conclusion to the Main storyline. However, do not fret, I have Extra content that will serve as teasers to a potential sequel following this story. I appreciate all of you that have taken the time to read my work, and I hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Thank you once again!


	27. Going Shopping

Ryuko's eyes slowly opened. Her vision was fuzzy, so she blinked rapidly to focus it. Her cheek was pressed against something warm, and she could feel a rising and falling against her chest. She looked up to see Mason, still lightly snoozing, one of his arms draped over her shoulders. She stretched her legs and moaned as the stiff muscles loosened up. The noise and movement made Mason stir from his sleep.

A lazy smile fixed his lips when he spotted her staring at him. He pulled his arm away from her, lifting both high above his head as he yawned. Ryuko couldn't help but yawn in response and together they started easing the stiff aches out of their joints. Of course, their movements under the sheets looked rather suspicious, and the satisfied groans they were making made things even worse.

So when Satsuki chose that exact moment to creep in quietly, she had a bizarre look on her face. Mason was the first to spot her, his face going red as he suddenly let go of Ryuko and planted his elbows against the bed to sit up. Ryuko remained oblivious for a moment longer, clutching at his arm to bring it back around herself.

"You two move on pretty fast." Satsuki murmured.

Ryuko's eyes shot open in surprise and she twisted around, looking over her shoulder to see Satsuki staring at them. Ryuko's face went crimson and she leapt up into a sitting position, rolling to sit beside Mason.

"It's not what you think!" She shrieked.

As she said that, the blanket that had been draped over her shoulder fell to reveal her state of undress. She hastily pulled the sheet back over her body, grinning innocently. Satsuki held one eyebrow up doubtfully.

"Uh-huh." Satsuki stated drily.

"Why are you sneaking into my room anyway?" Ryuko narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

"I figured I would check up on you both. It's good to see you up and alive, Mason."

He let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah. Thanks, Satsuki."

"I hope my younger sister doesn't put you  _back_  into a coma anytime soon."

"What's  _that_  supposed to mean?!" Ryuko fumed.

"Surely I don't have to point out how impulsive you can be sometimes, do I?"

Ryuko was about to snap back at her but stopped midway. Upon reflection, she admitted that she had gotten carried away in the moment last night. In doing so, she hadn't considered how Mason felt towards her. They had kissed, but she couldn't take that as a confession of his true feelings. Furthermore, he seemed inclined to sleep on the floor rather than with her. Doubts niggled at the back of her mind and she shrunk down behind the blanket.

"Anyway. I have plans on making a trip out to do some shopping soon. If either of you are interested, you're more than welcome to come along."

"Sure. I'll help. Though, can you check the tea to make sure it's right  _before_  we leave the store?"

"Gamagori will be responsible for finding it this time. I had a word with him about 'unreasonable expectations' in regards to that incident."

"Thanks." Mason grinned.

"How about you, Ryuko? Still interested in doing that 'girly stuff' you mentioned?"

Ryuko meekly nodded, not making eye contact.

"Good. I'll see you two at breakfast then." Satsuki stepped out, closing the door behind her.

Mason noticed Ryuko's silence and how she was staring glumly at the bed. He placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump and face him shyly.

"What's the matter?" His face etched with concern.

"It's just… Satsuki made me think about last night. I kind of feel like I imposed the whole 'couple' thing on you. I'm not sure if you feel the same way I do-"

She was cut off when Mason held the back of her head and planted his lips on her own. She closed her eyes and gave in to the kiss, her own hands reaching out to his sides to pull him closer. After what felt like forever, he pulled away, leaving her flustered.

"Still not sure?" He smirked.

The niggling doubts were slain. Ryuko was filled with glee, which she expressed by putting her lips back onto his and kissing him passionately. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him down on the bed, rolling on top of him. Her hands went into his hair, clutching at it to keep his face close to hers. He in turn caressed her shoulders and back.

After a while, Ryuko pulled away, leaving them both panting for breath. Once they recovered, Mason eased himself up while Ryuko shuffled back until she was sat in his lap with her legs around his waist. He draped his arms around her bare shoulders and gave her one last peck on the lips.

"We should go have breakfast." He whispered.

"I much rather stay in bed. With  _you_." She replied in a hushed tone.

"As would I. But Satsuki will get concerned and start being nosy again."

She sighed. "Yeah. You're right."

"Come on. Let's get dressed."

Mason stroked her arms and waited as she reluctantly untangled herself from him. Ryuko crawled out first, dressed in just her undergarments as she went over to Senketsu. She lifted the scarf off him and poked at his sleeve.

"Hey, Senketsu. You awake?"

The Kamui remained silent, his eye closed. She shrugged and retrieved a coat hanger, sliding him on before hanging him up.

"I suppose you deserve a good rest." She muttered.

Spinning around, she saw that Mason was already dressed, though he only needed to put a shirt on. She began rummaging around for her casual clothes, and Mason handed her another shirt he found in the drawer. They both emerged out into the house, making their way into the dining room. Satsuki, Gamagori and Inumuta were all present, with Sukuyo making herself busy in the kitchen.

They took their places at the table, followed closely by Sukuyo carrying a large platter of pancakes, who then left them to converse amongst themselves. They each shovelled their share onto their plates and began eating in content silence, with only the occasional mumble of delight.

Mason plucked one of his pancakes up onto his fork and dangled it invitingly before Ryuko. She smirked and leaned forward, taking a large bite and humming appreciatively.

"You two are even worse than Jakuzure and Sanageyama." Inumuta muttered.

Ryuko cast him a glare but otherwise took the last of the pancake from Mason's fork.

"Speaking of which. Where are they?" Mason inquired.

"I let them sleep in. It's the least they deserve." Satsuki replied.

"So what are you two doing up?" Mason looked at the remaining Elite members.

"Inumuta is going to check on the mansion's reconstruction. Gamagori is driving for us." Satsuki answered for them.

Mason nodded, satisfied with her explanation. After breakfast, Satsuki declared it was time for them to leave. The ride was uneventful, and soon they were pulling into an underground parking area beneath a mall.

The mall was five storey's tall, with numerous escalators and lifts to provide transportation between each level. The boys remained on the first floor, purchasing groceries and other necessities Sukuyo had asked for. Meanwhile, the girls ascended to the third floor, where they were browsing for clothing and accessories. During their wander, Ryuko glanced at a selection of dresses in the window of a shop.

Satsuki noticed her slowing pace and stopped, following her gaze.

"Something caught your eye?" She asked casually.

Ryuko shrugged, "I'm not sure. I was just thinking I don't really have anything  _nice_  in my wardrobe."

"Thinking of dressing up for a certain someone, Matoi?"

She blushed. "Maybe."

Satsuki chuckled. "It's typical to want to dress up in order to impress someone. Especially on a date. And in my opinion, it's important to date someone  _before_  sleeping with them."

"We didn't 'sleep' together! We just… slept." Ryuko pouted.

"Here I was thinking your hormones were stronger than your reason. You continue to surprise me." Satsuki teased.

Ryuko felt her face heat up. "Well do you happen to have any  _useful_  advice for me?"

"Are you asking me for help, Ryuko?" Satsuki smirked. Ryuko's gaze fell.

"… Yes."

Suddenly Satsuki took her by the hand. "Then we'll start in here."

Ryuko found herself hobbling clumsily after Satsuki who dragged her into the store.

* * *

"They sure are taking their time." Mason commented.

The two boys had returned to the car and loaded the supplies into the trunk. They had now been standing around for a good ten minutes, unsure of what to do with themselves.

"We should give the ladies as much time as they need." Gamagori stated.

"Suppose so." Mason sighed, leaning back against the car door. "How are the others doing?"

"They're doing much better, thanks to our new allies."

"You mean Century Security?"

"Yes. Their medical expertise was much more proficient than Mr. Mankanshoku could provide." Gamagori visibly shivered.

"It's nice having an entire military force on your side, isn't it?"

"It certainly makes life easier, not having to keep a low profile out of concern that you might get caught." Gamagori agreed.

Mason smirked. Then frowned.

An older man in a blue polo and khaki cargo pants was striding purposefully toward the entrance to the mall. Behind him, however, was a girl about Mason's age with long ginger hair. She was hiding behind a car, peeking over the hood to look at the man. Once he disappeared inside, she jogged to the entrance and slowed to a walk, heading in after him.

"Did you see that?" Mason asked.

"No. I didn't."

"That girl was acting real suspicious. Maybe a pickpocket or mugger?"

"Do you think it's something that concerns us?"

Mason pursed his lips. "No. Guess not. If something happens, security will deal with it."

Several minutes later, they heard alarms going off from inside of the mall. Both of them stood to attention, and after a brief glance at one another, they rushed toward the entrance.

* * *

"Do any of these interest you?" Satsuki gestured at the displays.

Ryuko glanced at the mannequin models that stood to the side of the shop. Her gaze went from left to right as she mentally screwed her nose up at each one. Eventually, she saw one and stopped to admire it.

"That one." She pointed.

Satsuki turned to inspect it, seeing a black sequin skater dress, held up by two straps at the shoulders. Satsuki smirked.

"You must think there's something better suited for me than that." Ryuko wrung her hands together.

"Not at all. I think it's perfect." Satsuki gave her a reassuring grin. "Now it's just a matter of finding one in your size."

They both glanced around over the racks, only to spot one on the counter being purchased by another woman. Satsuki beckoned Ryuko to follow as she made her way over, waiting for the woman to finish paying and leave. Once the clerk was finished with her, Satsuki stepped up, catching her attention.

"Hi there. How can I help you?" The clerk smiled enthusiastically.

"I was interested to know if you had any more of those dresses. The one you had just sold to that woman before me."

"Oh dear. I'm sorry to say that was the last one we had."

"The last one?!" Ryuko exclaimed.

"Yes, I do apologise."

"Will you be stocking anymore in the future?" Satsuki asked.

"Unfortunately not. It wasn't very popular. It's fortunate that we sold that one at all."

Ryuko glared angrily. "What about the one on display?"

The clerk laughed quietly and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but we're not allowed to sell the articles on display."

"But you guys just sold the last one you had. There's no point keeping that one, right?" Ryuko continued.

"I have specific instructions not to sell it. I really am sorry." The clerk put on a dejected frown.

Ryuko huffed and backed away, stuffing her hands into her pockets. Satsuki nodded to the clerk and followed after her, placing her hand on Ryuko's shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll find another that catches your eye." She said softly. Ryuko sighed and nodded.

They spent the better part of ten minutes looking around, with Satsuki picking out several garments she thought Ryuko might like. Each time she tried one on and showed Satsuki, she would look toward the display. In her head, she was thinking of some elaborate plan to steal the dress without anybody taking notice. Perhaps causing a panic by sounding the fire alarm would cause enough of a distraction?

Ryuko had just changed back into her casual clothing and walked out of the dressing room. They were returning the dresses back to where they found them when someone unlikely walked into the store. A man dressed in a blue polo shirt and khaki cargo pants, hands stuffed into his pockets. He was balding with a white trim of hair around his crown.

His eyes scanned the store and locked on Ryuko. A sick smile spread across his wrinkled face.

"Found you."

The man retracted his hands from his pockets just in time for everyone to watch as they came apart at the very fibers. They then came back together, forming razor-sharp black blades. He snarled and charged forward, toppling racks as he made a beeline straight for Ryuko. However, Satsuki stood between him and Ryuko. She threw what dresses she held up into his path. He growled and thrust his arms forward, cutting up the fabric, taking a moment to throw them aside.

This gave Ryuko the time she needed to pull her scissor blade from her pocket, letting it grow back to its proper size. The man cackled as he leapt over toward her, both blades coming down at her. She leapt to the side and both struck air. She struck him in the side, carving a large gash out of him. He hissed in pain and then swung his arms at her. She danced away, watching in confusion as the cut she had made in him disappeared.

He made to lunge at her again, but Satsuki intercepted with a strong kick to the side of his head. He recoiled away, grunting in pain. Satsuki snatched up Ryuko's hand and dragged her toward the entrance. Meanwhile, the clerk screamed and ran to the emergency fire alarm on the wall behind the desk. She pulled down the lever, and the alarm began blaring loudly in their ears.

They made it to the door, but as Satsuki flung it open the man descended upon them. His arms slashed viciously at them, forcing Ryuko to break away from Satsuki. The man cut large arcs through the air at Satsuki, driving her back and out of the store. Once she was out, the man threw the door shut and jammed one of his arms into the handle. Using his other arm, he severed it off, leaving it to bar the door.

He then turned his psycho smile to Ryuko, who gritted her teeth anxiously. He snarled as he threw himself at her, their weapons shrieking upon impact. With only one arm to fight with, he was much more manageable. She shoved his arm away, slashing diagonally down his body. He recoiled, and then looked up with a sickening smile. Hanging from the cut were hundreds of red tendrils, all of which lifted back together and stitched the wound up within a couple of seconds.

 _It's just like Nui Harime!_  Ryuko felt a chill run down her spine.

Satsuki gripped the handle to the door, grunting as she pushed and slammed her weight into it.

"Come on!" She growled in frustration.

"Step aside." Satsuki whirled around to see a girl standing before her.

She had bright green eyes and wavy ginger hair that hung past her shoulders. Everything she wore was black, from her tight-fitting yoga pants to her hoodie. She also had some pink-rimmed headphones around her neck. Everybody else had already begun evacuating the building, but this girl seemed oblivious to the alarms.

"You should really leave. Can't you hear the-?"

The girl gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "I said get out of the way!"

Satsuki was shoved aside with surprising force that nearly made her fall down. The girl then wound back one arm and threw a punch into the door.

Ryuko braced as the man leapt onto her, driving her to the ground. He thrust his arm down at her and she rolled out of the way. He tried again, and once more she evaded it, this time cutting at his face with her scissor blade. He yelled with frustration and planted his knees either side of her. Now trapped, Ryuko was forced to raise her blade and block his next attack.

They became locked in a contest of strength, with neither of them making any headway. However, Ryuko was struggling against both his strength and the entirety of his weight. There was a loud  ***WHAM!***  as suddenly the door to the shop flew off its hinges. It flew forward and smacked into the back of the man's head. He cried out and his attention wavered, letting Ryuko shove his arm away. She was about to kick him off herself when someone walked up behind him.

The strange girl grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and then spun around, throwing him out of the store. He sailed onwards, hitting the wall on the opposite side of the mall. She then stormed out, fists clenched with a very angry look on her face. Satsuki rushed in and knelt down beside Ryuko.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Who's she?" Ryuko angled her chin at her saviour. Satsuki turned to watch the ensuing battle with her.

The girl approached the attacker, who got back on his feet to face her. He gave her a wicked smile and lashed out. She raised her arm up to block the blade and it glanced off harmlessly. His smile faded, and he spluttered when she jabbed him in the gut. Once again, he flew back into the wall, creating a visible dent. The girl growled, winding back another punch.

He side-stepped and her fist hit the wall, making the concrete disintegrate into small chunks and dust. She then whipped her arm out to the side, backhanding him in the face. He fell to the ground, dazed by her hit. She approached, preparing to grab him when he kicked her legs out from under her. She landed on the floor only to be grabbed by her hair and thrown down the opposite end of the mall, out of sight.

He turned his attention back to Ryuko and Satsuki, who quickly rose up and prepared themselves. The man sprinted back toward the shop, and the two girls watched helplessly as the store clerk decided to try running out at that precise moment. She screamed as she collided into him, uselessly hitting him in the chest. He growled angrily and then wrapped his bladed arm around her neck.

"No! Please let me go! I don't want to die!" The woman shrieked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Put her down!" Ryuko shouted.

The man chuckled, staring at her. "If you don't want her to die, then drop the weapon."

Both girls glared at him, but Ryuko reluctantly let her scissor blade clatter to the floor.

"Now you, back off." He inclined with his head at Satsuki, who reluctantly took several paces away.

He then threw the woman down as she scrambled away behind some racks. His maniacal smile widened and he took one step forward.

The red-headed girl hissed, sitting up to watch the lunatic sprint back toward the store, stopping just outside. She looked a little to her left, spotting one of the elevators which had come to a grinding halt once the alarms had sounded. She narrowed her eyes and approached it. She knocked away the surrounding support structures surrounding the elevator before grabbing it at either side and pulling.

The elevator creaked and groaned before dislodging from its confines within the shaft. She took a couple paces back, dragging it completely out as the cables on top snapped off. She hefted the elevator above her head and walked to where she had clear line of sight of the store. She then drew it back and cried out as she threw it. The elevator soared through the air and smashed into the store.

The three girls stared in shock. The man had gone no further than one step when a metal elevator flew through the wall of the store and hit him. The metal box continued to carve a path through the shop's counter, and then lodged itself into the wall behind it. A few seconds of stunned silence followed as they tried to comprehend what just happened.

Satsuki narrowed her eyes and leapt over the counter. She kicked the door open that lead into the back, peering in to find that the elevator had gone partially through the next wall too. Ryuko followed her in, and a single hand motion from Satsuki told her to stay back. Upon closer inspection, Satsuki couldn't find the man anywhere in the debris.

Returning to the store, Satsuki spotted Ryuko flipping the door over. Laying on the floor was the man's arm, which looked to be made of steel upon examination. Ryuko beckoned Satsuki over and picked up her scissor blade. She touched the blade to the stump of the arm and it twitched. The red fibers that made up the arm squirmed away, and instantly the arm disintegrated into a writhing pool of red.

"Life Fibers." They said in unison.

They watched as the Life Fibers squirmed helplessly on the floor, gradually slowing as their red glow got dimmer. Soon enough, they turned black and stopped moving entirely. Ryuko frowned and touched her blade against them, though there was no response this time.

"Did they just die?" She asked.

"Looks like it." Satsuki confirmed.

Both girls then heard approaching footsteps, looking toward the door as they caught sight of Mason and Gamagori. Both boys were panting for breath, having stopped just short of the hole in the store's entrance. When they caught sight of the elevator stuck in the wall, they looked back at the girls in confusion.

* * *

It didn't take long for Century Security forces to appear on the scene after Mason and Gamagori had found the girls. The soldiers swept through the mall until they had everything locked down. Lexi had her hands on her hips as she stared at the elevator wreckage, baffled.

"So nobody saw  _how_  this ended up here?" She asked again.

"All we saw was it go through the front of the store and hit our attacker." Satsuki replied.

Lexi nodded slowly. "Connor's on the outside looking for this guy as we speak."

A soldier stepped through the gap in the wall and addressed Lexi. "Headcount complete ma'am."

"Any sign of our super-girl?"

"No ma'am. Nobody matched the description provided. However, upon questioning, several witnesses claimed they saw her."

"Did they say where she went?"

"Yes. They said she went  _up._  As in, jumped to the third storey from the first."

Lexi raised a confused eyebrow. " _What?_ "

"Only relaying what they told me, ma'am."

"Understood. Good work, Centurion. Dismissed." She waved him away.

"Well that only raises more questions." Ryuko remarked.

"I see you guys kept the whole Centurion thing." Mason commented.

"Yeah. It kinda stuck. Not complaining though." Lexi shrugged.

There was a jingle from her phone, which Lexi dragged out and answered it, turning on the loudspeaker.

"Connor here. You there Lex?"

"I'm here."

"Listen, I'm outside and I can see the bottom of the elevator. There's no body from what I can see around the perimeter of the mall."

"So what? He just disappeared?" Ryuko asked.

"Well, no. I think he ran for it. Dunno how he is even  _walking_  after being hit by an  _elevator_ , but he is."

"What gave you that idea?" Lexi continued.

"There's a trail of blood that leads away from the area. We're going to follow it and keep searching."

Everybody looked at one another with concerned and confused expressions.

"Thanks Connor. Keep me updated. Good luck." She hung up. "Jarret's not going to be pleased that we couldn't find either of our suspects."

"Can we provide any further assistance?" Satsuki inquired.

Lexi shook her head. "Thanks for offering, but we'll take it from here."

The four of them nodded and walked out, heading down toward the underground parking. Mason stood by Ryuko, arm draped around her shoulders.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Ryuko mumbled.

"No cuts or scratches I can help with?"

She shook her head. "I'm okay. Honestly."

"Tell me what's wrong. I know something is." He planted a kiss in her hair.

"I just can't believe that guy was made of Life Fibers. He was just like Nui. Does this mean there are still more Life Fibers out there that we don't know about?"

"It is suspicious. Seeing as we only know of the Life Fibers Janus smuggled from REVOC's. Someone would have to have an abundance of them in their possession and know how to create beings made of them." Satsuki added.

"He seemed similar to Rei Hououmaru's creations, didn't he?" Ryuko asked.

"No. Your comparison to Nui is more accurate. Those doppelgangers went down fairly easily, and showed no signs of regeneration. If anything, it's someone who is at Ragyo's level of Life Fiber mastery that's responsible for making this thing."

"Yeah. And the way its hands just… split apart and came back together…" Ryuko shuddered.

"Hey. It's okay now." Mason hugged her closer.

They got back to the car and were about to jump in, but Ryuko paused. Her mind racing as she felt something missing. It clicked, and she was off before any of them could stop her.

"I'll be right back! I forgot something!" She shouted behind her.

Racing back to the third storey, she leapt into the demolished store and approached the display mannequins. She quickly took her prize and stuffed it into her jacket. Flying back down the escalators, she was back at the car and dived into the back seat.

"Found it?" Mason queried.

"Yup." Ryuko gave him a smug grin, keeping her reward hidden from him.

* * *

The girl strolled down the sidewalk, hands buried in her hoodie. She had just managed to slip past the Centurions as soon as they had arrived on scene. She pulled her phone out and scrolled through her contacts, tapping on one of them. She held it to her ear, listening to the dial tone as she stared blankly ahead. Finally they picked up.

"How'd it go?"

"Terribly. Bastard got away, and I escaped by the skin of my teeth."

"Look on the bright side. You  _did_  get out." She clutched her phone tighter.

"Doesn't matter. I should have wasted that guy!"

"Calm down. We can talk about it later. In the meantime, take a break. You earned it."

She exhaled slowly through her nose. "Alright. See you soon."

She hung up and stowed the phone back in her pocket. From her other pocket, she pulled out a small, rectangular, pink music player. She grabbed the audio jack from her headphones and slotted it into the device's receptacle, sliding the headphones over her ears. She turned on the music player and scrolled through the list for a moment before picking a song.

She sighed in satisfaction, relaxing as the tune soothed her. She went for a while longer before softly singing along to the lyrics. She was ignorant of all the people turning their heads upon hearing her melodic voice. Once the song finished, she froze to the spot upon hearing applause.

She looked around and saw that everybody was staring at her. She blushed and shrunk down into her hoodie, hurrying away.


	28. A Date With Date

The Mankanshoku household was under noticeable strain. Their family had essentially doubled while they offered temporary refuge to Satsuki, the Elite Four and Mason. Supplies were quickly devoured, living spaces were cramped and facilities were frequently occupied. Because of this, Mason made the logical decision to move out and into Century Security HQ, much to Ryuko's disappointment.

Although one less person wouldn't make a considerable difference to their situation, he could at least alleviate it somewhat. Satsuki and the Elite Four flat out refused to accept the same offer extended by the company, though they kept their reasons to themselves. It had only been two days after the mall incident, yet Gamagori was already making another trip to a new grocery store.

This also offered Ryuko the chance to complete her own shopping, which had been unexpectedly interrupted last time. Satsuki tagged along to help her pick out several 'necessities', though she let Ryuko choose what she wanted. That night, Ryuko had plucked up the courage to call Mason. After some small talk, she anxiously asked him out on a date.

He enthusiastically agreed, and they decided to have dinner the following night. However, they weren't familiar with any places they could go to together. But Mason knew who would.

"You're going on a date aren't you?" Jarret grinned ear to ear.

"What?! What gave you that idea?" Mason stared in disbelief.

"What other reason could you possibly have for asking me where you might find a 'nice restaurant to dine at'?"

Mason opened his mouth to respond and then shut it in defeat. Jarret's grin only got wider.

"I knew it. It's about time too."

"Okay. You're right." Mason sighed. "So do you know of such a place at all?"

"Absolutely. I'll give you the address to pass along to your girlfriend." He winked.

Mason let out an annoyed groan. "This is why I tried to be subtle."

"How do you intend on getting to the place then? Or finding something appropriate to wear?"

Mason paused for a moment. "Those are some very good questions. I suppose I would have had to tell you one way or another."

Jarret's face lit up. "I've got an idea."

"What do you mean?" Mason frowned in confusion.

"You go tell your sweetheart where the place is, then come down to the motorpool."

"What for?"

"Just trust me. You won't regret it." Jarret then turned away and headed for the elevators.

"Uh. Okay then."

Once Mason provided Ryuko the location, he went down to the garage to find Jarret standing beside a sleek, blue convertible. Mason approached as he saw Jarret smirking slyly.

"Nice car."

"It is, isn't it?"

"I assume that's what you plan on driving tomorrow night?"

"Wrong." Jarret produced the keys and threw them to Mason. " _You're_  driving."

"What?! I don't know how to drive!"

"Exactly. You're really going to dazzle her when you show up."

"No no no. No way. I'll end up crashing, or worse!"

"You'll be fine. Take her for a spin around the underground parking lot to get your bearings first."

Mason was about to continue arguing but Jarret raised a hand to silence him.

"Give it a chance, kid. I have complete confidence in you."

Mason gave in with a heavy sigh. He approached the car, getting into the driver's seat and starting the vehicle. Jarret went over all the basic controls he needed to get it moving, and after a moment, Mason eased the car out into the parking lot. Once he had familiarised himself with it, Jarret had him perform several manoeuvres. After an hour, Jarret let him park the convertible and step out.

"So how was that?" Jarret grinned.

"It's… not so bad." Mason shrugged. "A bit daunting initially. Did I do alright?"

"You did well. Tomorrow we'll do some more. In the meantime, you should get some rest."

"You think I'll be ready by tomorrow night?" Mason asked.

Jarret simply smiled. "Without a doubt."

The next day, Mason spent another hour practicing in the parking lot, revising the exercises from last night. Jarret then jumped in with him and led him onto the streets. A couple hours later and they were rolling back into the parking lot. Jarret clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good stuff, Mason! You're a natural!"

"Thanks." Mason chuckled. "It helps having a good teacher."

He carefully brought the vehicle into park and they both stepped out. After locking the convertible up, they headed to the elevator and went up to their floor. They came out to find most of Jarret's team all sat on couches surrounding a coffee table in the lobby area.

"Seeing as you're both unscathed, I assume your drive went smoothly?" Gale surmised.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, grandpa." Mason rolled his eyes.

Gale slapped his knee, howling with laughter. "Kid's learning the lingo! Haha!"

"You should have seen him. Completely perfect performance." Jarret responded, sitting down beside the older man.

"Good for you, Mason. Especially at this time of day, traffic would have been a nightmare." Connor said.

Mason sat on an individual chair opposite of Chase, with Connor and Lexi to his right on a three-seater couch. Gale and Jarret were on his left on another three-seater, and they were soon joined by Kahn who brought over several drinks. He placed them on the coffee table, keeping hold of a bottle for himself. Everyone reached in to grab their respective drink, and there was even a can of soda for Mason.

"So, Mason. Before we left this morning, I arranged some formal attire to be delivered to your room. Feel free to choose whatever you like." Jarret informed him.

"Thanks." Mason grinned.

"No rush though. Stick around for lunch. You have plenty of time."

They all began conversing, with Mason silently observing as they occasionally broke out into laughter. Their food arrived moments later, and after eating, Mason retired to his room. On his bed he found a selection of clothes to choose from, and after cycling through several options, he was finally content with his outfit.

When the time came to go, Jarret was already waiting for him beside the convertible. They jumped in and Mason started up the car, heading off to the restaurant.

* * *

Ryuko had been excited all day, but as soon as the time had come, her enthusiasm had turned into anxiety. She had asked Satsuki if Gamagori would be able to take her that night, which she assured her that he would. Much to her surprise, Satsuki also told her that Nonon and Uzu would be coming along to the dinner.

Ryuko felt slightly awkward as she put on a small amount of make-up, taking her purse and slipping on her high heels, all of which were brand new. She shrunk down her scissor blade and stuffed it into her purse . She would at least be prepared if the Life Fiber man were to show his face again. She came out of her room and headed for the front door, finding both Nonon and Uzu already waiting for her.

They both eyed her with scrutinizing gazes, and Nonon even covered her mouth to hide a sly grin.

"Who would've thought Ryuko Matoi would wear  _that_." Uzu remarked.

Ryuko crossed her arms. "Shut up."

Uzu was wearing a white suit and black bowtie, while Nonon wore a pink dress and matching shoes. The two of them came closer to Ryuko as they inspected her more closely.

"You actually did an okay job. For an amateur." Nonon smirked evilly. Ryuko narrowed her eyes.

"Thanks." She said acidly.

Their attention was dragged to the sound of a car coming to a stop just outside. They proceeded out the door to find Gamagori waiting patiently for them.

"Let's go you three. I'll be dropping you all off then coming back later to pick you up."

They clambered into the car, speeding off toward the city. Gamagori pulled over by the curb to let them out, then took off, leaving them in front of the restaurant. Ryuko looked around expectantly, but Mason was nowhere to be found. Uzu and Nonon noticed her face fall and gave one another mischievous looks.

"How inconsiderate, making us wait like this. Especially  _you_. Some boyfriend." Nonon jeered.

"Wonder how late he'll be. Or do you think he's forgotten entirely?" Uzu joined in.

Ryuko cast them a glare. "He'll be here." Yet, deep down, their comments had gotten to her.

At that moment a car approached, coming to a stop by the curb. They all gaped at the sleek, shiny convertible pulling over, with Mason at the wheel. The car came to a stop and Mason stepped out, briefly speaking with Jarret who shuffled himself into the driver's seat. Ryuko's face lit up, while the other two stared open-mouthed.

"At least my man can drive." Ryuko turned to them, grinning smugly.

Jarret gestured further down the road, explaining that he was going to find parking. Mason nodded and the car smoothly pulled away. When he turned around his eyes widened when he saw Ryuko. He took a moment to admire her, suddenly feeling inadequate.

The black dress came down to mid-thigh and sparkled in the light. Her shoulders were practically bare, and her legs were curvaceous, aided by the matching black heels. Her hair waved with the slight wind, and he caught a glimpse of small, crystal gem earrings. A hint of eyeliner accentuated her blue eyes, and natural looking lipstick made her lips glisten. The red highlight in her bangs only added to how cute she looked.

Meanwhile, he wore a high collared white shirt, black tie, blazer, dress pants and dress shoes. Ryuko clutched her purse tightly as she stood before him, a small blush spreading across her face.

"Hi." She mumbled.

"Hey." Mason managed to say, unable to take his eyes off her.

"You're looking nice." She gave him a small smile.

"I could say the same, gorgeous." Mason said breathlessly.

"Are we going, or are you two just going to gawk at one another?" Uzu taunted.

"You're doing the same, monkey." Nonon snickered.

"I am not!" Uzu whirled around at her, though stopped when she glanced up at him with a cute grin.

"You are now." She teased.

"I- uh… Don't know what you're on about." Uzu sweated, pulling on the collar of his shirt to loosen it.

"Come on. It's getting a bit cold out here." Mason took Ryuko's hand and escorted her inside. Ryuko got closer to him, their arms intertwined.

Mason leaned over to whisper into her ear. "Is this that surprise you mentioned over the phone?"

Ryuko nodded slightly. "Yup."

"I love it." He planted a kiss on her cheek.

Ryuko blushed, squeezing his hand tighter. The four of them went into the restaurant, deciding that they would take separate tables, though not too far from one another. Waiters escorted them to their seats and took their orders, hurrying off to serve other people. Mason felt self-conscious as they received stares from the surrounding tables. Their age made them stand out amongst the other patrons, except for another boy who sat alone in the distant corner.

"How's your new place?" Ryuko asked.

"It's good. You should come visit some time."

"I'll have to ask Gamagori to take me. Unless you could pick me up instead?"

"Once Jarret thinks I'm good enough to be getting around on my own, I'd be happy to."

Ryuko blushed. "I look forward to it."

Their meals arrived shortly, with Mason getting Spaghetti Bolognaise and Ryuko receiving a steak with a side of greens and chips. The two of them dug into their food, sharing delighted expressions. Halfway through their course, Mason noticed Ryuko was staring at a stray meatball, sat to the side of his spaghetti. He touched it with his fork, and her eyes widened slightly. Ever so casually, he put it on his fork and brought it up to his lips.

She followed it, but once she saw him watching her she quickly averted her eyes. Pretending to dig around her own meal, she was pleasantly surprised when he proffered the meatball to her. Ryuko looked up to see him smiling lazily at her. She grinned and opened wide, letting him tease it past her lips. She bit down and he withdrew his fork, letting her munch down appreciatively.

"I love feeding you. You're so cute about it." Mason said fondly.

Ryuko blushed, then eyed her own steak. She expertly cut away a slice and put it on her own fork. Mason gave her a wry smile as she waggled it in front of his face. She then made to tap him on the nose, but he snatched the piece of steak away with his teeth. She stared wide-eyed while he smirked triumphantly.

Both Uzu and Nonon were staring at them enviously. They then glanced at one another, and Nonon gave him a look of disapproval. In her mind she wondered why Uzu couldn't be like Mason and take the initiative. Meanwhile, Uzu was sweating nervously, thinking that he should do something, then envisioning her getting upset with him.

"I love what you've done with your hair." Mason admired.

"Thanks. Satsuki insisted that I wash it and helped brush me." She winced slightly, remembering a few painful knots they had to go through.

"That's nice of her. You're lucky to have her as a sister."

"Yeah. I am." Ryuko smiled affectionately.

Once again, Nonon cast an annoyed scowl at Uzu, seeing as he had yet to say a single word to her since they sat down. Uzu kept his eyes down, feeling her death glare on him. She then dug the ends of her utensils against the table, making him look up in surprise.

"You're not even trying, are you?" She hissed. He put on an uneasy smile.

"What are you talking about, uh… babe?" His tone laced with apprehension.

Nonon crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Babe? Is that it?"

"Well I don't know what you want from me!"

"Try harder, banana brain!" Nonon barely stopped herself from lunging at him.

Ryuko and Mason cast confused glances in their direction, watching them bicker. Ryuko then smiled softly, while Mason gave her a questioning look.

"Don't worry about them. That's basically how they show affection for one another." She gave him a lopsided smile.

"I'll take your word for it." He shrugged.

In the distance, the lonesome boy in the corner called over a waiter. The boy told him something, and he immediately dropped the plates he was carrying onto the table. He then turned away and headed for the door. Several patron's watched as the waiter exited the restaurant without any discernible reason.

* * *

Jarret pulled the convertible into the closest parking lot, finding a quiet spot as he turned off the engine. He sat back and prepared himself to wait for an hour or two. He had his eyes closed and was lightly snoozing when he heard approaching footsteps. He peered with one eye to spot a man dressed in a waiter's garb drawing near. Jarret sat up, watching him closely.

The man seemed fairly complacent, in spite of the message he had to deliver.

"Ryuko is in trouble." He spoke suddenly.

Jarret frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Ryuko is in trouble. Come quickly." He continued, deadpan.

Jarret was about to question him when he suddenly turned and began walking back toward the restaurant. Jarret reached into his jacket, touching the familiar Fork Knife. He leapt out of the car, cautiously following the strange man, his knife drawn but hidden. He kept several paces behind the waiter, checking every corner with suspicion.

* * *

Another waiter had gathered the plates that had been left on the table. She went about dropping them off to the respective diners, smiling pleasantly as they barely acknowledged her. She then looked over and noticed that Ryuko and Mason had finished with their meals.

 _Finally._  She thought. The waitress casually approached their table, putting her hands on her hips.

"I hope you enjoyed the food." She beamed.

They both looked up, returning her smile. "It was delicious. Thank you."

She continued smiling broadly. "Good. Because it will be the last you ever have."

Their grins faded, replaced by confusion. The waitress' own grin turned into a sneer as her hands dissolved into red tendrils, which then formed black bladed weapons. She viciously slashed at Ryuko, who recoiled in surprise as the blade flashed by her face. Mason snatched up Ryuko's steak knife and stabbed the waitress in the leg. She hissed and cut at his hand holding the knife, opening up a large gash.

"Thanks." Mason smirked.

He grabbed one end of the table with his good hand and then flung the whole thing into her face. She staggered back, swinging at the table and cutting it in two. The two of them got up and backed away from her. Behind the waitress they could see another waiter approaching from behind, a fierce snarl on his face. His hands then turned into similar blades as he brandished them.

So far all of the other patrons and waiters had simply stared in shock and horror. But once the second assassin revealed himself, they all stood to attention. Altogether, they whirled around to face the Life Fibers and began throwing whatever they had in their hands and everything else around them. Several people even picked up their chairs and proceeded to swing them at the imposters.

The Life Fibers looked around in confusion, shielding themselves from the barrage of plates, utensils, and chairs. Ryuko and Mason were just as confused, watching the bizarre spectacle around them. They then felt hands grabbing at them.

"Let's go!" Uzu shouted, tugging at Mason's arm. At the same time Nonon had taken hold of Ryuko's wrist, dragging her along.

The rain of objects eventually came to a stop once the patrons ran out of things to throw. Suddenly, they seemed acutely aware of the threat before them and reacted in a more appropriate manner. Shouts and screams sounded out as people fled to the other side of the room or hid behind tables.

The assassins growled furiously, breaking out into a sprint toward their initial targets. The four of them had just gotten to the door when the waitress jumped in front of them, slashing at Uzu's arm. He recoiled away in time, but she barred the doorway, grinning menacingly.

"No escape!" She laughed maniacally.

"There's bound to be a back door through the kitchen." Mason whispered.

They all nodded assent and bolted away from the waitress. They were then faced with her partner. Mason hurtled forward, much to the assassin's surprise. The Life Fiber struck at him with both blades, which only served to empower Mason further as he shoulder-charged him, making him stagger backwards. Mason then slammed his palm against the assassin's chest, making him freeze up and topple over onto the floor.

Ryuko withdrew her scissor blade as they continued toward the kitchen. The assassin on the ground screamed and growled furiously, unable to move his body. Seeing this, the other assassin then reformed one blade back into a hand. She took hold of a chair and then threw it at the group. Ryuko was prepared to knock it away, but someone got in front of her. Up until now the boy in the corner had remained seated, merely watching the scene play out.

Now, he walked briskly to place himself between the group and the airborne chair. Ryuko and the others watched him intercept the chair with lightning fast reflexes, swatting it aside so that it hit the wall. The waitress stared dumbfounded, then snarled as she picked up a table and threw that at him. Once again, the boy calmly pushed the table away with a simple flick of his wrist, sending it crashing to the side. He then sighed.

"You know. I set that trap in hopes it would distract them long enough for you to get away. But you all just took your sweet time, didn't you?" The boy casually stated, not even looking at them.

"Stand aside, human!" The waitress screamed.

"Would you kindly shut it?" The boy responded nonchalantly.

The waitress went to say something, but her mouth wouldn't open. She stared in horror, making faces and angry, panicked noises. Her hand clawed at her lips, though she couldn't pry them open. She pointed her bladed arm at him in a threatening manner, glaring furiously.

"Well look who decided to show up. About time too. I sent that guy ages ago." The boy said with annoyance.

From the front window they saw the waiter from earlier show up, followed by Jarret a moment later. He looked in, his brow furrowed with confusion. He spotted the assassin writhing on the ground, still struggling to regain control over his body. His eyes then focused on the pair of sharp, black blades that made up the waitress' arms. Jarret jumped into action, kicking open the door and rushing in.

The waitress heard him, turning just in time to be cut across the face by the glowing hot Fork Knife. She swung at him in a wide arc with her bladed arm, though Jarret ducked under it, slashing at her exposed midsection. She hunched over, groaning into her sewn-shut mouth. In rapid succession, he had driven his knife into the back of her head, collided his knee into her face and then cut her head clean off.

The assassin's head fell to the floor, followed by her body. The other assassin finally recovered, snarling as he sprinted forward, lunging at Jarret. He dived under the blade, letting it go over him. With his free hand, he grabbed the assassin's extended and pushed up, twisting his body and throwing his attacker over himself. Propelled by momentum, the assassin flipped and landed on his back with a grunt, then gasped as a searing hot knife went through his chest.

Jarret had quickly stabbed down, seeing the assassin's eyes go wide, but he was still moving. He withdrew the knife and then drove it into the Life Fiber man's face. His body went limp and Jarret was finally satisfied he had put the thing down. He let out a deep breath, withdrawing and powering down his weapon before turning to see the others staring at him in bewilderment.

"Senketsu wasn't kidding… He really  _was_  holding back on us." Ryuko whispered.

"Hmph." The strange boy then turned, heading toward the kitchen entrance.

"Hey! Who are you?" Uzu called after him, but he didn't respond.

"Where are you going?" Nonon frowned, taking a step toward him.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face them. They got a good look at his grey eyes and faded light-blue hair. The irises of his eyes then lit up bright blue.

"Don't follow me." He said sternly.

Any thoughts about pursuing the boy were immediately purged from their minds. They simply watched as he walked away, disappearing from sight. Their attention was then dragged back as Jarret approached.

"You guys okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you and that guy." Mason hooked a thumb over toward the kitchen entrance.

"So, what happened exactly?"

Jarret made a quick call for reinforcements while they explained the events prior to his arrival. He frowned in confusion, particularly when they mentioned how the other patrons had acted strangely. Centurions arrived within a few minutes, isolating the dead Life Fiber corpses and, upon Jarret's command, began investigating everyone in the restaurant. Several soldiers went searching for the boy the four had mentioned, but he was already gone.

Attempts to sample the Life Fiber remains resulted in the bodies disintegrating, similarly to the dismembered arm Ryuko and Satsuki had encountered. This left them empty-handed, and every person they evaluated failed to show any sign of post-hypnotic suggestion or other mind control techniques. The patrons merely reported that they felt compelled to hurl objects at the attackers in order to distract them.

Jarret even questioned the waiter that had come to warn him of the impending danger. He claimed that the attack hadn't even started before he left, therefore had no knowledge that Ryuko was in fact endangered. Instead, he simply felt that he had to tell someone about it because someone else had told him. When asked to explain who had told him, he gave the same description of the boy that Ryuko and the others had given him.

Ryuko and Mason stood outside, with Uzu and Nonon not far away. Mason had one arm around her shoulders protectively. She looked downcast and frightened.

"Hey. It's okay. Jarret got them." Mason cooed.

"I know. But there were  _two_  this time, and they were different than the one from the mall. Meaning that there's probably more of them." Ryuko murmured.

"Girl's right." They looked up to see Jarret approaching with Gale just behind him.

"There are several things we should be considering: Where are they coming from? Why do they want you? And how do they know when and where to strike?" Jarret added.

They all went silent, unable to think of anything to answer his questions.

"Does this mean I'm going to be in constant danger?" Ryuko asked.

"I'm afraid so, little miss." Gale said grimly.

"Might want to keep your Kamui and scissor blade close to hand at all times from now on." Jarret suggested.

Ryuko nodded and Mason hugged her tighter.

"Would you feel better if I came back and lived with you?" Mason inquired. Ryuko pondered for a moment.

'I would. But I'll be okay. Satsuki is still at home with me. The Elite Four too. If anything happens, I'm sure they can handle it. And if not, I'll call straight away." She put on her bravest face.

"We'll put some teams closer to Konru, just in case." Jarret assured.

"Thanks you guys." Ryuko gave them a small grin.

"Ryuko!" Uzu called out. They turned to see Gamagori's car stopped by the curb.

"Looks like I should get going." Ryuko went to leave but Mason tugged on her hand. She looked at him with a curious expression.

"I'm sorry about tonight. We were having such a good time, and then…" His voice trailed off.

"Yeah." Ryuko's gaze lowered.

"Feel free to come over sometime. I'll try and make it up to you."

"You don't have to. It wasn't your fault." Ryuko then took his other hand and pecked him on the lips.

"If you say so." Mason whispered. Ryuko grinned.

"I'll definitely be coming over soon."

"Good to hear." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Are you coming? Or would you rather your fancy-pants boyfriend drive you home himself?" Nonon called out in annoyance.

"I'll see you soon." Ryuko murmured, turning away and climbing into Gamagori's car.

"You two can do the same, if you want. I can handle things here." Gale remarked.

"You sure?" Jarret queried.

"Yeah. You two run along. I'll wrap this up by the hour." Gale waved them away.

Jarret nodded, heading back to the convertible with Mason. Gale turned to approach a Centurion that was stood behind him, waiting patiently.

"Something to report?" Gale asked.

"No Sir. The search teams have turned up nothing. Suspect got away."

Gale huffed, shaking head. "Worth a shot. Call them back. Let's start packing up any non-essentials."

"Yes Sir." The Centurion saluted.

* * *

_Earlier…_

A pair of Centurions rode in their patrol cruiser. The night made it difficult to identify someone from afar, but it also meant there were fewer people about. They turned the corner and caught sight of a boy walking down the street. From a glance they caught sight of his faded light-blue hair. They pulled up next to him, rolling down the window.

"Hey kid. Care to spare a minute of your time?" One of them called out.

The boy came to a stop and turned to face them, looking uninterested. They could make out his grey eyes now. A perfect match to the description they were given.

"Care to tell us what you're doing out here, son? Bit late to be walking around on your own."

"I can handle myself." The boy said flatly.

"I'm sure you can. Curious though, did you happen to see that incident back there?" The soldier hooked a thumb in the direction of the restaurant.

The boy shrugged. "Nope. Couldn't help you."

"Funny that, because someone reported seeing you there." The Centurion said matter-of-factly.

The boy sighed deeply. When he looked back at them, his eyes were glowing blue.

"I'm not the person you're after. So if you would kindly move along and leave me alone, I would appreciate that."

The two of them then stared at him dumbstruck. They slowly looked at one another and shrugged.

"Right. Sorry about that. We'll leave now." He rolled the window back up and they drove off.

The boy watched them drive away, then continued walking.

* * *

"How did they go?"

"Both were killed."

"Incompetence. Seems the other humans aren't as pathetic as I first believed."

"Shall we try again?"

"Of course. How are the models we based off of the humans 'Jarret' and 'Mason'?"

"Their bodies have developed. They should be ready to deploy soon."

"Good. If we use familiar faces, at least we can sow distrust amongst them. Isn't that right?"

"Yes. I agree." A familiar female voice replied.

"Then see to it that Matoi is slain this time!"

"As you wish." The female bowed her head, her long black hair cascading down the sides of her face.


	29. Plunge Into Madness

Ryuko stood nervously just outside the main entrance to Century Security HQ. For the third time her finger hovered near the buzzer on the keypad that would alert whoever was inside to her presence. She had spent the better part of her morning working up the courage to act on a plan to surprise Mason. She had something special in mind, and on her person, though she was feeling self-conscious about it, even though she had no real reason to.

She thought about abandoning the plan for the fifth time. It's not like she was disappointing Mason, as he wasn't expecting her at all. But that would be difficult, seeing as Gamagori was already gone. She had also left behind Senketsu and her scissor blade, as she figured she would already be in Century Security HQ by now, the safest place in the city she could think of.

"Can I help you?" Ryuko jumped as a female voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Uh… I was just…" Ryuko froze. This was it. If she walked in through those doors, there was no turning back. She took a shaky breath and let her resolve set in.

"I was looking for Mason Date. Is he here right now?"

"Mason Date is currently present, yes." The doors whooshed open.

Ryuko tentatively stepped inside, smiling awkwardly at the receptionist who raised a dubious eyebrow.

"His room is on floor eighty-three, immediately to your left and three doors down. Elevator is just to your right." She said blandly.

"Thanks…" Ryuko could feel her cheeks aflame.

"Would you like me to alert Mr. Date that you're coming, Miss Matoi?"

"No!" She snapped, then cleared her throat. "I mean. Thank you, but I'm trying to surprise him, you see."

"By ambushing him outside the door?" Unbeknownst to her, the receptionist had been watching her stand outside for some time.

"I was just… making sure I had everything." Ryuko fumbled for an excuse, but could tell the other woman was sceptical. "I should go."

Ryuko realised that her actions could be taken rather suspiciously. She stood up straight and headed for the elevator, not sparing the receptionist another glance. Her eyes darted up and down the 'buttons' lining what she assumed was the elevators controls. The keys seemed to project from the wall, suspended by a blue panel that was seemingly made of light. She frowned when she saw the numbers count from Zero to Eleven, but no eighty-three.

As though compelled by a guiding hand, Ryuko tried to press the button labelled 'eight'. The moment her finger got close, and proceeded through the screen, the number highlighted, and an array of new numbers displayed to the right of the first screen. Ryuko blinked twice, the new numbers went from zero to nine, which she slowly tried to tap the 'three' button. The elevator then pinged, the screens receded and the elevator began ascending. Ryuko scrambled for the railing, gripping tightly as the elevator soared up the building at an alarming rate.

Looking up above where the blue screen had once been, Ryuko could see the numbers racing up, already at fifty-nine. A couple seconds later and the entire thing decelerated, clicking into place as the doors rushed open. Ryuko's eyes darted to the monitor again, which displayed the number eighty-three. She released her suffocating grip on the railing and quickly dashed out of the elevator. She let out a pent up breath she didn't realise she had been holding, shoulders sagging. She questioned if the elevator ride down was as terrifying as it was going up.

The elevator pinged and the doors closed much more slowly than they had flung open, and she could hear the briefest rush of air as it flew down the building. She shivered and suddenly wished she had brought Senketsu with her. At least she could jump out the window and fly down that way. She looked around and remembered the reason she had come in the first place. Anxiety dug a deep pit in her stomach as she slogged down the hall, coming up to the door the receptionist had mentioned. Ryuko balled her hand into a fist and winced as she gently rapped on the door.

* * *

The receptionist had her head down, studying an email on her computer, when she heard the familiar buzz coming from the front door. Looking up, she glanced at the screen and frowned. Outside she could see Satsuki with two men that she was not familiar with. Satsuki, however, was a familiar face, and so she opened the door to admit them entry. As usual, Satsuki wore a deadpan frown as she marched up to the desk with urgency.

"Where is Matoi?" Satsuki demanded.

"Floor eighty-three." The receptionist inclined her head toward the elevator. "Who are they?"

"My accomplices." Satsuki turned without another word and stormed off, followed by the pair she came in with.

The receptionist watched as they stepped in and fumbled with the console, similarly to Ryuko. She quietly enjoyed watching new visitors struggle to operate the advanced technology the company possessed. Satsuki's face contorted in anger, but finally they managed to get it to do something and the doors closed. A wry smile crept onto her face as she stifled a laugh for the second time today.

Moments later, the door buzzed again and this time the receptionist looked up and almost spat out her coffee. Outside the door was Mason, who seemed to be pacing back and forth in a rushed manner. She opened the doors and he walked in, jogging to the desk and planting his hands flat on it.

"Did you see them?" He was breathing hard, as though he had just run a mile.

"You mean Satsuki?" The receptionist edged away from her desk slightly, staring at him cautiously.

"Yeah yeah. Where'd they go?"

She pointed to the elevators. "They were looking for Miss Matoi. She went to your room."

He huffed impatiently. "Where's that?"

Her frown deepened. "Your room, Mr. Date, is on floor eighty-three." She said very carefully.

"Right. Of course."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. Everything's fine. Thank you." He flashed her a brief smile with two thumbs up and winked.

He then hurried off toward the vacant elevator. She peered over her desk and watched him step inside and stare at the panel, dumbstruck. He reached out and seemingly tapped random buttons until the door closed and the elevator shot off. The woman sat back down at her desk and realised her hand was gripping the phone just to the side of her desk.

Something was certainly not alright. Mason was familiar with the elevator controls, the same could be said for what floor he lived on. She didn't even recall him leaving the building, and she had been on all morning. The woman called into Janus' communicator, and she picked up a couple seconds later.

"Janus here."

"Miss Century. Mason Date just walked into the building acting strangely. He couldn't recall what floor his room was situated, and I didn't see him leave this morning. I think he might be suffering from a head injury of some sorts, maybe?"

Janus was silent for the briefest moment. "Where is he headed?"

"His room. He took the elevator, which he couldn't even recall how to operate."

"I'm sending an EMT now. Thank you for alerting me."

The call was cut and the receptionist slumped into her chair, letting out a puff of air through pursed lips. She shook her head and decided that whatever was happening was no longer her concern.

* * *

Ryuko gulped as the door slid open before her, practically silent. A forced smile spread across her face as she saw Mason come to greet her. He looked shocked for a moment, but his surprise was replaced by a broad grin.

"Ryuko? I didn't know you were coming for a visit."

"That's because I wanted to surprise you." She chuckled nervously.

"Well you certainly succeeded." He stepped to the side. "Come in. Make yourself comfortable."

Ryuko tiptoed in, the door closing behind her with a soft thud. Just in front of her was a bed that looked very comfortable, though the sheets were a mess. She plopped down on the luxurious bed, hands in her lap as she interlocked her fingers. Mason gave her an apologetic smile, indicating the bed.

"I would have cleaned up if you had of warned me you were coming."

"It's fine. This is nothing compared to how the Mankanshoku's rooms look in the morning." Her features softened at the thought of them.

"Can I ask what made you want to visit so suddenly?"

"Well you see…" She paused, thinking. "I… wanted to spend time with you."

Mason could tell she was avoiding eye contact. "To make up for our date?"

"Well, no… I mean, yes. But, something more… intimate." Ryuko's head drooped to hide her face.

No matter how hard she tried to hide it, Mason could make out her flushed face. "Intimate? Would a hug help you elaborate?"

Without needing her response, he closed in and wrapped his arms around her. Ryuko turned and lay her head against his shoulder, but her hands stayed firmly in her lap.

"I can't bring myself to say it. So I'll just show you." She murmured.

Ryuko then grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him down on the bed, much to his surprise. She clambered on top of him to pin him down, then went to work on the buttons to her shirt. He stared wide-eyed, too shocked to speak. She removed her shirt and flung it aside, making Mason's face go red when she showed him the lacy bra she was wearing.

"Ryuko? What are you doing?" Mason managed to say.

He reached out to her shirt but she shoved him back down. He went pale when he saw her reach down toward her pants. He immediately grabbed hold of her wrists, but she was way stronger while he remained unpowered.

"No! Don't you dare! Stop it, Ryuko!" He hissed. She immediately froze up.

"But… I- I thought you'd like it?"

"For goodness sake, Ryuko. Please stop. You look terrified!" His face was etched with concern.

It was true, and she hadn't even noticed it. She was trembling all over, and her entire body was tense. She relinquished her resistance and let him pull her forward so that she was holding herself upright above him.

"Hey Mason." Jarret's voice boomed through the closed door, attracting both of their attention. "Listen, we're going to the training room if you-"

Jarret slid the door open and froze. Mason was staring at him wide-eyed, but Ryuko looked petrified, with eyes as large as an owl's. Jarret slowly closed the door again, turning away and leaving silently. Mason immediately grabbed hold of his loose sheets and draped her in them. She collapsed on top of him and balled herself up in his arms.

"I'm sorry." Ryuko whimpered.

"Hey, it's fine. Forget about it." He whispered.

"I just wanted to do something for you…"

"Ssshh. You didn't have to." He squeezed her tighter.

"I thought I could do it… I really tried…" Mason could feel warm tears soaking into his shirt now.

"I know you did. But I think that might be a step too far." He said soothingly, kissing her hair. "We can wait until you're ready. Until then, don't do anything you're uncomfortable with."

Mason waited patiently for her sobs to subside as he stroked her back comfortingly. Once she had calmed down, he grabbed her shirt and helped her put it on. She kept her eyes cast down, watching as he did the buttons up for her. After he finished, he kissed her forehead and cleared her hair away from her face.

"Thanks…" She muttered.

"Feeling better now?" He caressed her jawline. She meekly nodded.

"Cheer up sweetheart. That took a lot of guts to go as far as you did." He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"You won't mention this to Satsuki, will you?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

Ryuko gave him a small smile. "I suppose I should make sure Jarret doesn't go blabbing either."

Mason nodded in agreement and led the way toward the door, with Ryuko falling in step. He slid the door open and was startled to find Jarret standing right in his face. He looked concerned and was glancing around frantically.

"Speak of the devil. I thought you were heading to the training room? Don't tell me you waited-"

"Shh! Listen to me. You're in danger. You two need to get out of here. Now!" Jarret looked back and forth between the two of them.

As if on cue, the lights went out and plunged the entire area into darkness, only for the red emergency lights to begin flashing.

"Damn. Too late. Alright you two, follow me." Jarret then turned and took off, leaving them both to follow after him.

* * *

Janus had a troubled frown plastered on her face. Her nails tapped impatiently on her desk, and she was chewing on the inside of her lip. She had sent an EMT to floor eighty-three with orders to call her once he had found Mason. Of all people, Mason was trustworthy and loyal, she had no reason to question this. However, she was still uncertain of what his curse was capable of, and this uncertainty led her to become suspicious when the receptionist had called in to report his unusual activity.

She had been thinking of these things for some time now, merely telling herself that until it happened, it was all just speculation. For all she knew, his curse could become rampant, or even cause him debilitating affliction. The tension in the air finally made her snap and she slammed on the buttons to call up the EMT. He picked up after a brief moment.

"Where are you?" Janus spoke immediately.

"I'm at the elevator, ma'am."

"On floor eighty-three?"

"No ma'am. Still on sixty-two. Both elevators aren't responding to my requests."

Her eyes narrowed. "Take the stairs. We can't afford to wait. This could be serious."

"Yes ma'am. On my way now."

She hung up and went back to tapping her nails on the desk.

* * *

Jarret was about to punch in the code to open the training room doors when the lights went out. He looked around in the darkness at his squad, who were just as alarmed as he was. The red lights beamed on, letting them see barely enough to get around.

"Power's out?" Lexi said disdainfully.

"What a pain." Gale grumbled.

"Wonder what this is about." Jarret brought his phone up, pressing buttons and bringing it to his ear. Janus answered under a second.

"Yes?" She sounded rather annoyed.

"Power out for you too huh?"

"Jarret? What are you talking about?"

"The power outage. I figure that's why you're so-"

"What power outage?"

Jarret frowned, staring at his team. He turned on the loudspeaker so they could hear the conversation.

"The power is out for us."

"Not where I am."

"That's strange. The generators supply power to the entire building. If we've lost power, then the rest should have too." Gale interrupted.

"Janus can you check the power levels in the building."

"One second. You're right. Power's out, but only for your particular floor."

Jarret saw everyone's confused and suspicious looks. "Do you know why?"

"Only thing I think of is that the power is severed on your floor without influencing the rest of the building."

"That means someone had to interface manually with the transformer." Lexi concluded.

"Mason." Janus muttered.

"Mason?" Jarret frowned.

"I got a call earlier about suspicious behaviour. It's entirely possible that he could have done this. He  _has_  done this to the entire building once before."

"Why though? I saw him earlier in his room. Nothing suspicious happening." Jarret managed to keep a straight face.

"Don't know. I tried to send an EMT up to see him, but the elevators aren't working."

Jarret's face dropped. "You might be right. I'll go check on him. Jarret out." Without waiting for a response he cut the call and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

"What's wrong Sir?" Gale stood to attention.

"Power's out for this floor. Elevators are not functioning. Who wants to bet someone is also guarding the emergency stairwell?" His eyes flicked across their faces as they each caught on.

"We're under attack." Kahn surmised.

With that, they congregated to a locker that held weapons. Jarret pried it open and handed them out, taking one for himself. They proceeded to the door and Jarret moved out first, facing down one end of the corridor. Gale followed up from behind, keeping his eye on the other end.

"Split up. Gale, head for the stairwell and make sure it's clear. Kahn and Chase go with him."

Gale gave acknowledgement and moved forward, weapon raised. Kahn and Chase ghosted behind him. Jarret signalled for Lexi and Connor to follow him.

"We need to find Mason. We'll check his room first. That's where I last saw him."

* * *

Mason found himself calling out to Jarret for them to stop, pressing his back to the wall as he caught his breath. Jarret exhaled impatiently, arms crossed as he glared at him. Ryuko frowned and took another cursory glance behind her for whatever it was that might have been after them.

"Where are we even going?" She turned to face Jarret.

"Looking for an exit to this godforsaken place." He replied in a hushed whisper.

"What do you mean 'looking for'? You live here, you should know where the exits are." Ryuko frowned.

"The power's out, so the elevator is a no-go." Jarret shrugged.

"What about the emergency staircase?" Mason suggested.

"Wha- Oh. Yeah. We'll take those. Remind me where those are again?" Jarret looked curiously between the both of them.

Both Ryuko and Mason looked at him questioningly. "Other side of the building from where we are now."

"Ah. Good. Care to lead the way then?" Jarret gestured for Mason to go ahead.

Mason nodded and began leading the way, with Ryuko following closely at his side. She felt him take her hand into his and pull her closer, she could barely make out his whispered voice.

"Something's off."

"Yeah I noticed."

"Follow my lead."

Ryuko nodded and turned around to see Jarret absentmindedly walking behind them. His eyes didn't even meet hers, as though he was preoccupied with some other thought. She turned back and tightened her grip on Mason's hand.

* * *

Satsuki patrolled down the corridor, followed by one of her accomplices. Her eyes scanned left to right and back again, searching. Two blurs skidded past the end of the corridor to her left, and her eyes focused on that spot. She broke into a sprint, turning the corner to where the two shadows had fled down. She narrowly caught a glimpse of somebody turning left, and caught sight of a red highlight in their hair.

Satsuki's eyes narrowed and she clicked her fingers to catch her follower's attention. His eyes flicked to her hand, and she pointed down the hall and then left. She turned back, heading down the way the shadows had come from, anticipating that she might be able to cut them off. Her friend, on the other hand, tore through the hall after them and went left, catching sight of their fleeting shadows and immediately gave chase.

Satsuki hurtled down the next hall and turned right. She was immediately confronted by Mason and Ryuko, sprinting straight at her. She watched her accomplice slide around the corner behind them, cutting them off. The two of them closed in, but their targets darted toward Satsuki and made an abrupt turn down another hall. Satsuki glowered, watching as her henchman followed them, catching a narrow glance at his bladed hands.

* * *

Janus knew that Jarret would get to the bottom of the situation, though she was aware that Mason had managed to defeat him once before. Therefore, she had called on her EMT to check up on his location first. He was currently on floor seventy-four, and by the sound of his heavy breathing he wouldn't be on scene for a while longer. Instead, she made several calls to any soldiers that were present on the next three floors next to eighty-three.

Janus knew that there would be relatively few, as those on duty would be on lower levels. However, any that weren't on duty and lived in the building would be present. She managed to find fifteen able bodies that could be quickly sent to Jarret's position. Afterwards, she got out of her office, heading straight for the stairs, holding a gun.

* * *

Jarret kept his weapon raised, flashlight cast down the hall. Lexi kept her eyes forward, while Connor scanned behind them, keeping a few paces back. Lexi made sure that they didn't move too far apart, constantly telling Jarret to slow and even stop. As he waited for Connor to catch up, his eyes caught on movement in the distance and he tried to focus in on it. There were two things heading straight for them.

"Movement ahead." He alerted them. Lexi stood to his side, raising her weapon.

Within moments they watched Mason and Ryuko sprinting full speed down the hall. Jarret's weapon lowered slightly as he raised a hand to stop them. They ignored him, and Jarret was forced to move out of the way as they ran past him without sparing him a glance.

"Sir!"

Jarret turned back at Lexi's voice. There was another man coming, snarling like an animal. Jarret's jaw set and without missing a beat he raised his gun and pulled the trigger. The darkness lit up, walls echoing with the sound of gunfire. The man heading straight for them barely registered each shot, grunting with annoyance and his body twitching with each hit. Jarret and Lexi focused their firepower on his head and chest, however his pace only slowed marginally.

The man roared as he bowled into them, thrusting forward with his bladed arms at Lexi. A hand come out from behind her and pushed her against the wall. The blades missed her, and instead glanced off the shoulder of her saviour. Connor groaned and stuck his leg out, tripping the man and putting him on the ground. Jarret planted a foot on his chest, keeping him pinned down.

Jarret then drew his Fork Knife from its hiding place, the blade thrumming to life with a red glow. In an instant he thrust the knife down at the man, but he raised one arm to defend himself. The blade drove through the hardened metal-like arm easily, making the man howl in pain. The arm fell to the floor, rolling slightly to the side. Jarret then rammed the knife back down, catching him in the chest this time. The man gargled and spluttered, writhing a little longer before going completely still.

Jarret withdrew his knife, letting the red glow die down. "These damn Life Fiber things again."

"The same ones responsible for the mall and restaurant incidents?" Lexi breathed.

"Yeah. They're after Ryuko again it seems. We should go-"

Connor hissed as though to bring their attention back to him. Jarret stopped, pushing aside his thoughts to focus on his injured team member. He gave his arm a thorough look while Lexi held her light on it.

"Will I live doc?" Connor gave him a cheeky grin.

"You've got five minutes to live." Jarret jested.

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Then let's spend those next five minutes looking for Mason. He went that way, remember?" She jerked a thumb down the way they had gone.

"Alright. Connor, you can sit this out if you want."

"No way boss. I've had worse."

"Let's go then." Jarret stowed his knife and they hurried on at a jog, foregoing their previous formation.

* * *

Gale proceeded with the same strategy employed by Jarret, right up until they got to the door leading to the staircase. Despite their expectation, there was nobody presently guarding it. At Gale's command, Chase would guard the door in the event that the enemy would find it. Meanwhile, Gale and Kahn made their way to the transformer to see if they could restore power. As they approached, they could see an occasional flicker of sparks.

"Looks like they tore the entire thing apart." Gale commented as he inspected the box.

"Think you can fix it?"

"No way. Best I might manage is to get the lights back on though."

"Worth a shot. I'll keep an eye out."

Gale sat his gun against the wall and drew his knife, using a gloved hand to carefully move wires out of the way. He managed to salvage a still intact wire and cut it free, pulling out the damaged one that connected to the lights. At the sound of Kahn's strangled grunts, Gale dropped the wire and picked up his gun, spinning around. He shone is flashlight on Kahn, who was gripping an arm wrapped around his neck.

A strange man stood behind him with bladed hands, a savage grin on his face.

"Let him go." Gale warned. The man just chuckled.

"Go on. Do it." His eyes lit up, grin widening. "Do it!"

"Okay." The man's smile faded as his face contorted in agony and he let out a scream.

* * *

Mason was walking them in circles, it seemed. Ryuko wasn't sure what his plan was, but Jarret was starting to show signs of annoyance.

"How big is this place?" He muttered, clearly agitated.

"Almost there." Mason called back to him.

They turned a corner and finally Mason stopped at a random door. Opening it revealed pitch blackness, but he stood aside to allow Jarret through first.

"Go ahead. We're here." Mason pointed inside.

"Finally." Jarret stepped inside and then frowned. "Hey, guys-"

He was cut short when Mason slammed the door shut, holding it in place.

"What the-? What's the big idea?" Jarret said in confusion, his voice muffled.

"Who are you?" Mason demanded.

"What do you mean? Don't you recognise me? Open the door."

"You can open it yourself. You could easily overpower me." Mason challenged.

Silence.

"You're not even going to try?"

"Look. You got me. Okay? I'm just trying to help. Would you open the door for me?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"That's not important right now. You've got three things chasing after you two and I'm about the only thing that can keep you both safe."

"I'm not so sure-"

"Mason." Ryuko interrupted him.

He looked up and saw what she was looking at. Satsuki was down the hall, staring them both down.

"Satsuki?" Mason frowned.

"That's  _not_  Satsuki! Don't be fooled!" Jarret's voice cried out in alarm.

True to his word, the Satsuki they saw placed a hand on the hilt of her sword. She pulled it free, brandishing it before them. A completely different blade from Bakuzan. She charged forward, poised to strike down Ryuko. The blade came down and Ryuko sidestepped, though it was unnecessary as Mason grunted, the blade stuck in his arm. Satsuki scowled, pulling the sword free and then cutting an 'X' into his torso, followed by driving it into his shoulder.

Ryuko stepped in, delivering a punch straight into Satsuki's midsection, causing her to let out a guttural cry. Her grip on the sword wavered, letting Mason tear it free from her hands. The blade clattered uselessly to the side and he advanced on Satsuki, slamming his palm into her head. Her body went slack and she toppled to the floor.

Mason didn't waste another second grabbing Ryuko's hand and taking off at a sprint down a random hall. They completely ignored Jarret's cries from the other side of the door. Once Satsuki recovered and collected herself, she stood and angrily fetched her blade, turning her gaze on the door. She threw it open and then frowned when she saw nobody inside, just a bunch of shelves and boxes.

With a snarl, she took off, attempting to find the other two. It didn't take her long. She spotted them running down the second hall she passed, immediately setting off at a sprint after them. Mason had dragged Ryuko around a corner, moving at a fast pace. Ryuko turned to look behind them for any sign of Satsuki. Instead, her eyes widened when she witnessed Mason and herself continuing down the hall they had abandoned. Not far behind their clones, Satsuki rampaged after them and then out of sight.

"Mason-" Ryuko began.

"We're going to the staircase. For real now. In case you were wondering."

"No, I just saw-"

Ryuko then bumped into Mason when he suddenly come to a stop. They barely managed not to fall over one another as she looked at him in confusion. He put a finger to his lips and pointed ahead of them. She looked up and noticed the silhouette of a man at the far end of the hall. He had his back turned to them, focused on something just around the corner. Where his hands should have been, they could see sharpened edges gleaming in the red light.

"I can drop this guy and we can make a run for it." Mason indicated his hand.

Ryuko nodded and they advanced slowly and silently. So long as Mason could get within arms-reach, their obstacle would be quickly dealt with. They were about two meters from him when he rounded the corner and disappeared from sight. The two of them frowned and heard a struggle in the distance. They hurried forward, as quietly as they could manage.

"Let him go." Gale's voice sounded.

"Gale?" Mason whispered.

"Sounds like trouble." Ryuko replied.

Mason crept around the corner, the man was holding someone and he could see Gale a little further away.

"Go on. Do it." The man spoke.

Mason snuck up behind him. "Okay."

He saw the man's posture stiffen, surprised by his voice. Upon jabbing him in the side with two fingers, the man seized and shook. His scream pierced the near silence of the place, but it didn't last long before his body tore itself apart into a gory mess of red tendrils. Ryuko gasped as she witnessed the little red worms squirm and shrivel up into blackened strip.

"Life Fibers? Again?" She frowned.

"Kahn!" Gale's voice echoed out. "Are you alright?"

"I'm good. Just took me by surprise." Kahn snatched his weapon up.

"Good save, Mason." Gale turned back to the power box, and after a brief moment the red lights turned off and the blackness was illuminated by the proper lights.

"Finally." Kahn grinned.

"Let me tell Jarret we found you." Gale flicked his phone out.

"Oh we've seen him."

"You have?"

"Yeah. He was acting real suspicious. I locked him in some random room. Only I don't think it was him."

"When did you see him?"

"Soon as the lights turned off. He was just standing outside my room."

Gale and Kahn looked to one another. "Jarret was with  _us_  when the lights went out."

"So definitely not him?"

"Could be a Life Fiber monster." Ryuko pitched in.

"Then why didn't he try to kill us. Let alone overpower me and help Satsuki when she attacked?"

Ryuko's gaze fell and she chewed her lip. "I don't know. But, earlier, I saw what looked like us. We kept running down the hall, instead of turning the corner like we did. Satsuki was chasing after them."

"Huh? Are you sure?"

"Are… you both  _high_ by chance?" Kahn said slowly, eyes darting between them with suspicion.

"Sounds like we've got body doubles running around." Gale took a quick look around as if expecting one of his own to show up.

"I'm being serious!" Ryuko grumbled, casting a glare at them all.

"I am too." Gale retorted. "Either way, I'm calling Jarret."

* * *

Jarret began to question whether Mason had taken Ryuko to the emergency staircase and escaped that way. However, they should have run into Gale and the others, who would have stopped them before they got that chance. It just so happened that they ran into Chase, who explained that he was guarding the stairwell under Gale's order. When questioned if he had seen the duo pass, he denied it, claiming that nobody had come by since Gale and Kahn had departed.

Jarret's phone then went off.

"This is Jarret."

"We got the lights back on."

"I see that. Good job."

"Nice pun."

"Unintentional."

"I've got Mason and Ryuko here by the way."

"And I'm standing next to Chase's dead body."

"Serious?" Gale's voice sounded alarmed.

"No. You?"

"Yes, actually. I  _am_."

Jarret's eyes narrowed. "That's not possible. They ran past my team headed toward your location. I spoke to Chase and he says he hasn't seen a single soul since you two left. If this is a joke-"

"Okay. I believe you Ryuko." Gale's voice sounded distant, as though he moved the phone away.

"Thank you!" He could hear Ryuko's voice. His brow furrowed.

"What's going on?" Jarret demanded.

"Ryuko claimed she spotted some clones running around too. We met up with them both right after this Life Fiber thing attacked Kahn. Supposedly you've been with them since the lights went out."

Jarret went silent for a bit.

"Are you sure they, you know, haven't taken drugs or something?" Connor blurted out.

"That's what  _I_  said!" Kahn encouraged. Gale sighed.

"Maybe we should discuss this later?"

"Right. Escort them here, we'll be waiting."

"Hang on. Jarret?" Mason called out.

"I can hear you."

"The not-you-clone thingy said that there were three threats hunting for us. We took one down, and I think there's a not-Satsuki-clone running around."

"Satsuki? I can't say we've run into her, though we took down one of those Life Fiber assassins ourselves."

"Jarret we've got a problem." He looked toward Lexi who had her gun raised.

Down the corridor they had just come from they could see Mason and Ryuko, being followed closely by Satsuki who had a katana drawn.

"Mason."

"Yeah?"

"I found your clones."

They watched as Satsuki closed in on the Mason clone who trailed just behind the Ryuko clone. She thrust her blade forward, the entire thing passing through him as though he didn't exist. In an instant, Satsuki stopped giving chase and gave a frustrated cry. Both clones then stopped running and simultaneously vanished. Their images distorted briefly before they disappeared from sight.

Satsuki then dragged her gaze up to them, a fierce look of hatred in her eyes. "Where are they?!"

"Tell me now if you guys are positive Satsuki is the third hostile."

"I'm pretty sure she's hostile Sir." Chase joined Lexi and Connor who were both lined up with their weapons aimed at Satsuki.

"Gale. Get them out. We'll hold her here."

With that, Jarret turned off his phone and joined the others, weapon raised. He was about to issue the command to open fire when the door behind him creaked open. They turned around in surprise, and Satsuki's grin grew wider.

* * *

Gale sighed when the cut call. "How can we do that when you guys are at the exit?" He asked as if Jarret could still hear him.

"We can't just stand around here, Gale." Kahn shrugged.

He nodded. "We'll head to the elevators. Maybe we can rappel down the shaft somehow."

The four of them took off, silence surrounding them beside their footsteps and laboured breathing. It was much easier for them to progress through the halls and corridors with the lights on. Within moments they were at the elevator. Both of them were on their floor, and neither was responding to any of their attempts to interface.

"Well there goes the rappelling idea." Kahn mumbled.

They turned at the sound of footsteps. They spotted Satsuki charging headlong at them, and behind her was Lexi and Chase, firing shots in bursts. Gale and Kahn immediately dragged both Mason and Ryuko out of the way into the cover of a nearby room. Satsuki ran into the lobby, followed moments later by both Chase and Lexi and a bunch of other soldiers. From every other entrance, soldiers appeared, blocking Satsuki's escape routes.

The soldiers that accompanied Chase and Lexi then filed out, making way as Jarret stepped out from amongst them to confront Satsuki. Satsuki's face contorted into rage, gripping her katana tighter as Jarret then handed his gun back to Lexi who took it from him. Pulling free his Fork Knife, Jarret then spun it in a few circles before settling it and letting the blade burn with its threatening red glow.

Satsuki wasted no time charging in, feigning a side strike and instead lunging straight for him. Jarret easily sidestepped, letting the weapon slide past him, flicking it away with his knife. She spun, carving a wide arc with her blade. He cut her off midway, stepping in and jamming his foot into the crook of her knee, forcing her to kneel and then driving his knife into her shoulder. She screamed in pain, making Ryuko's eyes widen as she struggled to stop herself from saving what appeared to be her sister.

It wasn't hard to convince herself when Jarret withdrew the knife and she could see the ugly red fibers intertwine themselves to reform what was left of her shoulder. Satsuki immediately stood up and flipped her grip on the katana, thrusting backward in a blind attempt to hit her opponent. Jarret shuffled back and expertly snagged her blade with his knife and trapped it. The notorious knife locked the blade in place, preventing her from stealing it back and forcing her to abandon it entirely as she stood up and faced him.

As quick as he had trapped it, he flicked his knife free, kicking the blade out of Satsuki's reach. Satsuki leapt at him, fist aimed at his gut, but he stepped aside and thrust one knee up, catching her in the face. Satsuki back-flipped from the sheer force of the blow, and before she could even land he had planted his foot on her stomach and helped drive her down. Blood escaped her lips as she let out a gurgle of pain followed by pained breaths.

Jarret waited patiently for Satsuki to stand back up. When she did he anticipated her 'surprise' attack in the form of a tackle. He spun to his right, elbow coming up to meet her face with a meaty  ***SMACK***  that made her reel backwards. He followed up by advancing on her, fists raining down on her face, driving her backwards. Satsuki then hissed and ducked under Jarret's next haymaker, spinning around and sprinting straight at one of the windows.

He grunted and reached out to grab her, but she slipped past his grasp. Everybody witnessed as Satsuki threw herself out the window, glass falling after her as she hurtled toward the ground. Jarret ran over and looked down, but he quickly lost sight of her. Gritting his teeth, he turned around to face the others.

"Alert security on the ground floor. Find her!" He shouted.

* * *

The call went out and security forces did a perimeter sweep of the area around the building, but found no trace of Satsuki. The only thing that indicated that something happened was broken glass over a large area. Upon questioning nearby onlookers, they were told that Satsuki had 'landed as gracefully as a cat, before fleeing the scene down the street'. Beyond that, nobody could reliably direct them to where she might have run off to.

Meanwhile, Ryuko and the others sat in the lobby while Janus stood before them, issuing question after question.

"Let me get this straight. Three hostiles entered the building, cut the power, and tried to kill Ryuko and Mason. Two of them were killed, and the third got away, however, there were others too. You four witnessed these 'clones' get killed by Satsuki, while you two locked the Jarret 'clone' in a supply closet and abandoned him there."

"That about surmises it." They all agreed.

"Where is the Jarret clone now?"

"I can show you." Mason stood. Janus nodded and followed after him.

When they arrived at the place Mason had believed he locked the fake Jarret into, the door was wide open and the room empty.

"Oh crap. Maybe it's not this-"

"All forces on floor eighty-three, I want a sweep of the area. We may have an unknown person on scene." She snapped into her communicator.

"Sorry Mason, I'm not taking the risk another Life Fiber being is waiting for a chance to get either of you two. And, I sincerely apologise, but I suspected you to be the cause of all this." Janus admitted.

Mason went silent for a moment. "Really?"

"It's nothing personal. But Dr. Tynan and I agree: your curse is an unknown. We have no idea what else it might have in store beside what we already know. I just thought I'd let you know that, as a person, I can honestly say I trust you. But your curse, I have my doubts."

Mason chuckled, much to Janus' confusion. "I understand."

* * *

Moments later, Dr. Tynan himself appeared to examine the Life Fiber being Jarret had killed. Everybody was instructed not to touch the body, only letting Dr. Tynan get close. He had brought several things with him, laying them on the floor beside the body. He held a pair of medical tongs, aware of Jarret's report that the body's had disintegrated upon touch. With two separate body parts to experiment with, he used the tongs to poke and prod the dismembered arm. It remained completely intact.

Using the tongs, he carefully slid the arm into a containment cylinder, closing the lid to seal it in. He then did a quick scan of the body before trying to take a sample. As soon as the scalpel came into contact, the body twitched. They all recoiled back in surprise, then watched as it disintegrated into dead Life Fibers.

"Interesting. It responds to touch  _and_  further damage to the corpse." Dr. Tynan surmised.

"Will that be enough, doctor?" Janus indicated the arm.

"Plenty. I will have a report of my findings ready in a couple of hours." Dr. Tynan lifted the cylinder up and carried his things away.

"I'll keep everyone searching this floor until then." She then looked down at the Life Fiber remains. "And then I want this floor swept clean. Literally."

* * *

Centurions went through room after room, searching for the 'Jarret clone'. They were thorough, with over thirty personnel triple checking rooms, treating their prey as though it were a phantom that could move through walls. As one unsuspecting soldier opened a door, he failed to notice a small box of staples slowly inching its way out into the corridor. When the soldier was satisfied nothing was out of place he closed the door and proceeded on. The box of staples continued to slide its way around, going around corners ever so slowly to check the path was clear.

As it slid down one particular hallway, it was forced to come to a complete stop as one soldier turned the corner. He patrolled down, stopping at the sight of the box with a raised eyebrow. Conspicuously he picked it up and checked it over, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging his shoulders, he put it back down, assuming someone else would take care of it. Once the soldier moved on, the box made a speedy getaway, checking its corners as it ventured on.

The box seemingly knew where the emergency stairs were located, as it headed directly there. It finally got to the stairs, but to its misfortune, there was someone guarding it. It should have figured, after all they wanted to catch it, not let it escape. What was worst, if it decided to slide out into the open, the guard would surely see it.

The stalemate continued for a while, with nobody taking notice of the box of staples. The guard kept vigilant watch, without anything to distract him. Finally, a medic of some sort passed by, noticing the box and bending down to retrieve it. Holding it in one hand, he approached the guard at the stairwell, who held a hand up to stop him.

"Sorry man, afraid I can't let you pass without ID."

"Here. Roger J. EMT."

"Checks out. Everybody okay?"

"Yeah. Connor had a small cut. Patched him up easily enough."

"Never gets boring around here does it?"

"Never." They both laughed.

The guard pulled the door open and the medic stepped out into the stairwell. He made a comment about a long way to walk yet. The box of staples felt his grip loosen on it, and it ever so gently wiggled free. The medic gasped as he felt it slip from his hand, assuming that he accidentally dropped it. The box hit the ground and purposefully threw itself off the edge from under the railing. The free fall down the stairwell ended abruptly as it smashed onto the landing on the opposite side of the stairwell. Its lid fell off as it landed sideways, sending staples scattering everywhere.

Apparently somebody heard this and decided to investigate, opening the door to find tiny metal pieces everywhere. With a deep sigh she rolled her eyes and quietly cursed at whoever had decided to make such a mess. She departed, only to come back later with a vacuum cleaner and began cleaning up the mess of staples. Unbeknownst to her, a ball of scrunched up paper rolled inconspicuously around the corner and out the door.

Continuing its journey, the paper ball found its way to the front door, but could hear typing from its right. Remembering the receptionist, it decided to roll close to the desk and act as a stray document that she had failed to dispose of properly. Apparently it worked, as when she stood up and went for a quick bathroom break she saw it on the floor. She picked it up and tossed it, fist pumping when it landed perfectly in the bin.

The receptionist left the restroom not a minute later, returning to her desk and frowning when she saw a mess on the floor. The bin had been upturned, and all of its contents scattered on the floor. With an annoyed groan she went over and put everything back, frowning when she noticed the ball of paper was missing. Figuring some rude individual had misplaced an important document and trashed the place in retaliation, she cursed and returned to her desk.

Meanwhile, people outside continued on with their day, failing to see the piece of paper sliding through under the door, now flattened. Once outside, it began awkwardly rolling away. If anybody had witnessed it, they might have blamed it on the wind, which was quite fierce. However, they might have then realised that it was moving  _against_  the wind. Too late however, as it vanished into a dark corner, out of sight from prying eyes. Seconds later, a boy appeared, hands in his pockets as he casually strolled away.

With a large grin on his face, he pulled a ball of paper from his pocket. Clicking his tongue and offering it a wink, he dropped it into a nearby bin, continuing on his way. Whistling to the wind, the boy slinked away as though he had performed something akin to the greatest bank robbery of all time. Perhaps he had.

* * *

It was only an hour later when Dr. Tynan called Janus, stating that he had completed his investigation. She came down to his lab with the others, all of them eager to hear of his findings. The arm was still sealed inside the capsule, propped up on a table next to a hologram of the arm itself.

"It's a truly remarkable specimen." Dr. Tynan gestured. He tapped several keys, moving and zooming in on the arm. It continued until it showed an individual Life Fiber.

"What are we looking at, doctor?" Janus asked.

"As you can guess, this is a Life Fiber. Only, it's been altered, as far as I can tell."

"Altered how?"

"These Life Fibers here, as you can see, exhibit a metal-like texture. In-depth analysis has revealed that, starting from below the elbow, they have begun winding together in tighter formations, strengthening their bonds. Not just that, but their very bodies harden, until they are completely immobile, but are as durable as steel. I speculate that the 'dissolving' that has been witnessed is the rearrangement of Life Fibers into a weaponized form."

"Good to know. Anything else?"

Dr. Tynan displayed his scan of the body, and highlighted an anomaly. He zoomed in, and Ryuko immediately identified it.

"This here is-"

"A Banshi." She interrupted.

"Correct. My scan picked it up, hidden amongst the other Life Fibers. It is the only one present, though whether it is significant or not, I cannot tell."

"A potential weak spot perhaps? A Life Fiber equivalent to a heart or brain?" Jarret suggested.

"A brain would make sense. As Banshi are critical to holding together uniforms, they may serve a similar role in these… beings."

"But that Banshi is completely intact. How did Jarret kill it if he didn't sever the Banshi?" Ryuko pointed out.

"The expired body remained intact because the Banshi was unharmed. Upon detecting a threat, it may have intentionally destroyed the remains to prevent thorough examination. If our assumptions are correct, cutting the Banshi out of a live subject would result in the body falling apart. Otherwise, it's possible that critical damage to its physical form might be sufficient to put them down."

"Now the question is where are these things coming from? And how can someone alter Life Fibers to let them look like us?" Connor frowned.

Dr. Tynan shrugged. "I'm afraid I cannot provide answers to that. I will say though, it will be difficult to discern who is real, and who is an imitation from now on."

"Could you find a way to reveal these things at all?"

"I can certainly try. However, it will take time to develop such a device."

"Start right away, doctor." Janus ordered.

"I had a feeling you would say that. I shall begin preparations at once."

With that, their discussion concluded and they all dispersed. Jarret remained with Ryuko and Mason as they separated themselves from the others.

"That explains very little." Jarret said grimly "However it seems their main goal hasn't changed. They're gunning for you because they still see you as a threat, Ryuko. They also know where you are because they have been watching you without you even knowing it."

"That's a frightening thought." Ryuko said in a hushed tone.

"For your safety, I'll drive you home personally. But never let Senketsu or your scissor blade out of sight from now on. I mean it this time."

Ryuko submissively nodded. "Okay."

* * *

"How did it go this time?

"They failed again."

"I would have thought the 'Mason' model would have the most success."

"Actually, we were forced to resort to using two other models and the Satsuki model."

"Why?!"

"Both the Jarret and Mason models refuse to awaken."

"Why not?!"

"We have no idea. We have integrated their DNA, and the bodies have grown, but they do not respond to our attempts to activate them."

"Strange... We have had 'failures' before, but none of them have failed to awaken."

"Would you like us to dispose of them?"

"No. Give them more time."

"Very well. The Satsuki model has returned. She has asked to make another attempt."

"No. Their guard is too high for us to make a move. We will have to wait now. In the meantime, we will continue with the operation."

"Yes, Commander."

* * *

Jarret had just dropped Ryuko off home, waiting until she went inside before driving off. She sighed, closing the door behind her. She felt overwhelmed by Dr. Tynan's findings on the new 'evolved' Life Fibers. She turned around to see Satsuki in the corridor, staring at her. Her body tensed and she felt a chill run down her spine.

"Where have you been?" Ryuko asked.

Satsuki frowned. "What do you mean? I've been here."

"Are you sure? You're not fake Life Fiber monster that just looks like Satsuki?"

Satsuki's frown deepened. "Inumuta. Come out here please."

Inumuta stepped out into sight. "Yes, my Lady?"

"Tell Ryuko where I've been the whole day."

"She's been here. Never left my sight. What's going on?"

Ryuko visibly relaxed. "It's been a very strange day..."

"Come tell us about it." Satsuki beckoned.

Ryuko walked into the dining room with them. She then went about explaining what had happened. She conveniently skipped over her awkward actions with Mason, but the rest filled the air with tension.

"This is unsettling news." Satsuki spoke after an extended silence.

"Perhaps organising a code phrase amongst ourselves would help differentiate who is real and who is not?" Inumuta suggested.

"Good idea. That should work until Century Security comes up with something better."

"While you two sort that out, I'm going to take a bath." Ryuko stood, and they waited until she left before continuing their conversation.

Satsuki sighed depressingly. "How much longer must we keep doing this?"

Inumuta laid a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Be strong, my Lady."

"It seems no matter how hard we try to rid of them, the Life Fibers find new ways to return."

"We also don't know where they're coming from either, which is a huge disadvantage."

Satsuki remained silent for a beat. "No matter the odds stacked against us. I'm not going to let them continue harassing my little sister. She's suffered through enough already. When we put an end to them, it'll be for good this time."


	30. Jarret Saves Christmas

Jarret lay against an upturned car, clutching his side. His hand was drenched in blood from a massive puncture wound through his chest and lung, leaving him wheezing helplessly for breath. He had his other arm draped around Ryuko, who lay beside him. Her head rested against his side, letting out small groans between laboured breaths whenever she moved.

She too was severely injured from the sudden attack. One moment they had been standing alongside one another, and then there was a distant explosion. The blast had been so powerful that it levelled every building in the distance and sent debris hurtling in their direction. Jarret had been thrown backwards, and a stray piece of metal buried itself in his chest.

When he landed, he saw Ryuko in the distance, trapped underneath a slab of concrete. He managed to get her out, but several other injuries meant she was rapidly losing blood. Dragging her to the closest car, he propped her up and got her comfortable. They now waited with bated breath, surrounded by eerie silence.

"How you holding up?" He whispered.

She gave a slight shake of her head, groaning in pain. He nodded solemnly, stroking her arm comfortingly. He turned his head slowly upon hearing a loud crashing sound nearby, spotting a man emerging from a burnt down building. His skin was horribly burnt, but his face was twisted in a sick grin. Jarret's grip on Ryuko tightened, pulling her closer protectively.

Jarret's jaw set as he was preparing to get up and repel the attacker, or die trying. He hesitated when a long, dark grey object thrust out toward the man from around the corner. The object went straight through his abdomen, and he let out a guttural cry. The object was tipped with a white spear-like head, with a pair of spikes curling away from the tip on either side of the base.

The head of the object then coiled around and pierced back through the man's chest. The spear-like tip split in two, straight down the middle, and snaked around to snip the man's head off like a pair of scissors. The object then twisted and tore the man's body in half, flinging him in opposite directions. It then retreated back out of sight, only to be replaced by a tall, lean creature.

The creature was dark grey in colour, looking as though it were made of metal, and standing just over two meters tall. The object from earlier was in fact this thing's tail. The entire length of it was almost as long as the creature's body, and was covered in segmented plating. Lining its entire back were elongated spines that occasionally twitched, and some were even stood straight up.

The things head was adorned with a small, shield-like crest. The crest was concave at the very top, and spikes protruded out the sides and curled up, forming a crescent shape. Just behind the crest on either side of its head were triangular projections that acted as ears. Small eyes peered over a muzzle, completely black with yellow irises. Pointed teeth lined the entirety of its long snout, which lacked a visible nose of any sort.

Its body was perfectly smooth and rounded at the very front, with arms extending out from the top of the torso on either side. They had a single joint at the middle, and ended in four-fingered claws, where each digit was armed with a pair of sharp talons that were fused together, forming pronged tips. It appeared to have two long fingers with a pair of opposable 'thumbs' on either side of its hands.

Keeping the beast upright were two, very thin digitigrade legs. It stood on what could only be described as paws, each with four digits. Unlike the hands, its feet only had small nails that lightly scraped against the tarmac with each step.

The creature opened its mouth, and Jarret could see drool gleaming off its teeth. Raising its head up, it 'sniffed' the air through its mouth, ears pivoting around. It then turned its gaze to them, eyes locking on. He saw the yellow pupils pulsate, and it let out a soft hiss that sounded like steam. Its ears swivelled forward, and the erect spines lowered down to lay flat against its back.

Suddenly, the armoured texture of its skin splintered into tiny strands to form fur. The spines lining its back split into thinner strands, until they looked like soft hairs. The plating on the tail also broke apart into what was now a bushy tail. Even the spear-like end unravelled to form a white fluffy tip. Only the crest remained untouched by the shift in physical appearance.

The creature bowed its head and began prowling straight toward them. Jarret sighed and grinned at the creature, hugging Ryuko tighter.

"We're going to be okay now." He assured her.

When he got no response, he looked at her and his face fell. Her eyes were closed, body limp, and he could see no sign of breathing.

"Oh no…" Jarret gently shook her, but she didn't respond.

He grimaced and shut his eyes tight, inhaling shakily. When he opened them again, he saw the creature in front of him. It was leaning forward, its muzzle close to Ryuko's face. It gently nudged her and slowly moved away when she remained motionless.

"I was too late." The thing spoke in a hushed tone. "I'm sorry…"

Jarret looked into its sorrowful eyes, seeing a slight shimmer in them. The creature fell onto all fours and laid down at their feet. Silence fell between them, and Jarret gently ran his hand through Ryuko's hair.

"What went wrong?" It asked eventually.

"Same thing." Jarret winced.

"I was hoping I would make it in time."

"You tried." Jarret stared blankly ahead.

"And look at what I've done." The creature glanced around at the ruins, then at Ryuko. "In a desperate last attempt, all I managed to do was bring death and destruction. As usual."

"That's why you deploy us, my Lord. Though I have failed you." Jarret coughed, spitting blood onto the ground.

"No, I've failed  _you_ , and  _her_. I'm ashamed for putting you through this for as long as you have."

"How many times have we done this?" Jarret frowned.

"Too many."

Jarret simply nodded slightly. "I'm willing to continue until the end."

"This isn't fair on you. If I could do it, know that I would."

"It's alright, my Lord. This is what we signed on for."

The creature lowered its gaze. "I am undeserving of such loyalty."

Jarret went to reply, but his voice failed as only a choked breath escaped his lips. His head sagged against the car and he felt extremely weak. The beast gently pressed its claw against his chest, keeping him upright. It made sure to avoid touching the metal buried inside of him.

"Easy. Rest now. It will soon be over." As he heard those words, Jarret felt himself slowly slipping away.

The creature let him go, and gently caressed Ryuko's hair and face. "And for you too."

Jarret watched through bleary eyes as the beast stood and turned away. It raised one claw up as a green object materialised in the air. It looked like a rectangle, but the center was circular in shape. Light green lines ran throughout the object, and formed into more circular arrangements in the center. Pulses ran along the lines, illuminating them even brighter as they went.

The creature traced its talons along the object, seemingly at random. Then, it wrapped its claw around the central circle and twisted the object around. Just before Jarret closed his eyes, there was bright flash of green that enveloped the entire area around them.

* * *

Jarret woke with a start, gasping for breath. He touched his chest, no longer feeling the excruciating hole there. He sighed when he realised he was in his room, falling back into his pillow. He reached out to the bedside table and grabbed his phone, pulling it up to his face. He looked at the date and time.

Twenty-fifth of December. Eight o'clock in the morning.

He exhaled through pursed lips, placing the phone back on the table. He swung out of bed, standing and taking a moment to stretch his stiff muscles. He walked out of his room once he had dressed, his hair still messy from sleep. He rubbed his temple, then jumped as someone called his name.

It was Mason, who seemed lively and excited. Jarret blocked out the nightmarish image of when he had last seen the boy.

"Are you alright?" Mason asked, concern on his face.

"I'm fine, kid. Bad dream is all." Jarret nodded, touching his forehead.

"Not a pleasant start to the day. By the way, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Jarret said cheerfully.

"What do you have planned for today?"

"Oh. Just some stuff I have to do." Jarret waved the subject aside.

"Okay. I'm going to the Mankanshoku's for the day. Don't forget you were invited to dinner tonight."

 _Dinner. Right. Will have to do something about that chicken._  Jarret shuddered.

"What's with the pained look? Not eager for it?"

"Oh, I am. I just... have a slight headache." Jarret grinned awkwardly, rubbing his temple.

"Sorry to hear that. Well I hope you feel better tonight." Mason grinned sympathetically.

"Thanks. I'll see you tonight."

Mason stepped into the closest elevator and was about to press the button to go down.

"Hold up. Use the other one."

"Why?" Mason's brow furrowed.

"Uh. Technical issue with that one. Someone's coming to look at it later." Jarret bluffed.

Mason nodded in realisation and stepped into the other elevator. Jarret watched the doors shut and it dropped down the floors. Last time Mason used the first elevator, it had gotten stuck in the shaft and he was an hour late. Ryuko was not happy about that.

Jarret walked up to the elevator, reaching around and hit buttons to send it to a random floor, pulling his arm out before it got trapped. He waited a moment before making a call to the maintenance crew.

"One of the elevators is on the fritz. Would appreciate if someone could have a look at that ASAP."

"I'm not seeing a problem." The man on the other side replied after a beat.

"Check again." Jarret insisted.

"Never mind. You're right. I'll send someone right away."

"Thanks."

Jarret clicked his communicator off and proceeded to his next objective. He spent the majority of the day running around, fixing things that he knew would go wrong that day. From the smallest things to the most complicated issues, he tirelessly resolved them before they caused anybody else a problem.

Soon enough it was five in the afternoon, and the Mankanshoku's dinner was in an hour's time. He descended to the lower floors with Janus, heading to the motorpool and taking out his car. When they arrived, he parked behind the Mankanshoku's home. Janus questioned why he didn't use their garage space, but he was adamant that he keep it out of sight.

They both walked up to the front door and knocked. They were quickly greeted by Ryuko who was wearing a small Santa hat. They watched the small white pom pom bounce around daintily as she looked between them both, beaming. She ushered them inside and they found the Mankanshoku's, Satsuki, the Elite Four, and Mason in the dining room. They joined the group as they chatted animatedly, raising enough noise that the neighbours could probably hear them.

Jarret refrained from talking much, instead looking at his phone discreetly. Five-forty. He subtly glanced around to see everybody completely engrossed in their own conversations. Satisfied nobody would take notice, he ghosted away from the group, remarking how he needed to use the restroom. He wound around the household until he snuck into the kitchen.

Peering into the oven, he spotted the dastardly chicken. He grabbed the timer off the bench, winding it up further to add another twenty minutes. He then made his way into Mataro's room, approaching one of the drawers next to his bed. He opened the bottom one and pulled out a wrapped gift. He closed the drawer and then walked into Barazo and Sukuyo's room, where he placed it on their bed amongst other similarly wrapped presents.

Jarret then swiftly swapped the name tag on his own gift with the one intended for Janus. Coming back out, he stepped into the bathroom and locked the door before climbing out the window. Going around to the back of the house, he climbed up on his car and proceeded onto the roof. Crawling about cautiously, he went to the front where the Mankanshoku's had set up some lights.

He found the power cord and noticed that it was loosely connected. After plugging it in properly, the lights all lit up brighter than before. He then dragged them up higher, so that they weren't dangling precariously over the edge. He wiped his brow and silently made his way back and dropped off the roof. He looked to his phone again. Five fifty-five. He had two minutes.

He opened up his car and took his Fork Knife out from under his seat. He shadowed over to the neighbour's house, finding a suitable hiding spot behind the corner of the house. He peered around, seeing the shady looking person he was looking for. He was dressed in all black with his hoodie pulled over his head and a hockey mask covered his face.

Jarret remained perfectly still as the man passed. Once he was certain the thug wouldn't notice him, Jarret advanced to the nearby fence, closing in on him. He was close enough to see the punk take notice of the Mankanshoku's home, laughing quietly after a moment. Jarret got up behind him and slammed the pommel of his knife into his head. He immediately went limp into Jarret's arms, who proceeded to drag him away toward his car.

Binding his limbs and gagging him, Jarret stuffed him in the trunk and tossed his knife back under the driver seat. Dusting his hands, he made his way back around the house and climbed through the window again. Unlocking the door, he walked out and then ducked into Ryuko's room, reaching under her blanket to remove her scissor blade, leaning it in the corner.

Finally, he returned to the dining room and sat down, exhaling through pursed lips.

"Where have you been?" Janus eyed him suspiciously.

"I told you. I was in the bathroom." He hooked a finger over his shoulder. Janus gave him a wary look but shrugged, accepting his excuse.

"Alright everybody. Dinner time!" Sukuyo said excitedly, dashing out before coming back in looking confused. "Strange. I swear it only had ten minutes left."

"Oh that's okay darlin'. We can talk for a while longer." Barazo grinned.

When they finally heard the kitchen timer go off, Barazo left the room with his wife. Sukuyo came back, laying platters of food on the table before them. Barazo then returned, carrying a heap of presents in his arms.

"Here ya go kids!" He exclaimed.

Presents were handed to everyone, and Mataro had a brief look of surprise on his face as he got his. He had been certain that he snatched the gift from his parent's room already. He quickly put on a fake smile and pretended to be surprised when he opened it. Jarret and Janus opened theirs to find bottles of wine.

In the past, the Mankanshoku's had accidentally mismatched the tags on either present. This time, they both got the proper bottle, and the two parents gave each other sly winks. They assumed they guessed correctly when they forgot which one belonged to who. They then dug into their feast, with Jarret prodding a fork into the chicken. A quick glance at his morsel and he was satisfied that it was properly cooked this time around.

Previously, Janus had contracted Salmonella from the undercooked chicken. She was sick for a very long time afterwards, and refused to eat anything at their place again. After dinner, the Mankanshoku's invited everybody outside to see their light show. The door was thrown wide open, crashing against the house. This time, there were no over-hanging lights to fall and shatter on the ground.

They stepped out onto the street and watched as the lights flared up brightly, twinkling against the dark night. Jarret remembered that the loose power cord would have come undone right about now, resulting in disappointed sighs. Instead, they watched the pretty spectacle as Jarret put an arm around Janus and hugged her close.

The rest of the night went without a hitch, and by eight-thirty, Ryuko and Mason had departed for bed. There was no cry of alarm this time when Ryuko leapt onto her bed only to land on her scissor blade painfully. After fifteen minutes, Jarret went to their door and gently knocked.

"Lock the door you two." He said, waiting until he heard a  ***CLICK***.

Not ten minutes later, a drunken Sukuyo tried opening the door but found it locked. So instead, she headed for another door, sparing Ryuko and Mason some embarrassment. By nine o'clock, Janus decided that it was time they went. They went back to their car and went back to HQ. When they arrived, Jarret insisted on staying behind while Janus headed off without him.

A brief call to Connor and Lexi had them both meet him down in the garage within minutes. Jarret opened the trunk to reveal a very surprised and angry man, mumbling into his gag.

"Found this punk snooping around suspiciously." Jarret reached into the man's hoodie, pulling out the micro-SMG hidden inside. The man was surprised that Jarret knew he had that on him.

"What on earth is he carrying around  _that_  for?" Connor took the weapon from him, unloading it.

"He was attempting an armed robbery, thinking he could get some free gifts. After all, who would suspect such a thing to happen on Christmas day?" Jarret surmised grimly.

Again, the man seemed shocked that Jarret had somehow known of his intentions. In reality, the robbery had already happened, and Jarret attempted to defuse the situation peacefully. It ended with him being shot while the punk fled with a handful of gifts.

"What kind of menace even thinks about doing that on a day like today?" Lexi glared angrily at the would-be criminal.

"You're in for it now, pal." Connor smirked wickedly.

Both of them hauled the man out of the trunk, not even untying him as they dragged him away to be locked up. Jarret then went up to his room, tidying up before lying in bed with a loud sigh. It had been a long day for him, but he worked tirelessly so that everybody else had a great day. So long as everyone else was happy, his job was accomplished.


End file.
